Behind The Scenes
by Meg0613
Summary: I love all of the behind the scenes of Mariska and Raul. I started thinking of what might be going on if these pictures were "in character" If you have any pictures you would like me to write on please let me know. You can see the pictures as I write them on my Tumblr page The Magical Shipper.
1. Chapter 1

Courthouse Steps

Based on the behind the scenes picture of Mariska and Raul hugging on the courthouse steps. You can see the picture on my Tumblr page The Magical Shipper.

"All right Liv I'm leaving. I've got to go by the office before court." Rafael yelled down the hallway towards their bedroom.

"Bye Pappi, I love you." Noah said from where he was eating breakfast at the table.

"I love you Hijo, see you tonight." Rafael said kissing his son's head.

"Wait? What are you doing?" Liv said coming from the bedroom clipping her badge and gun on.

"I'm going to court you know ADA Barba?" He said somewhat perplexed.

"You're supposed to be taking Noah to daycare remember? Lucy is off this week and I've got to be in early. It's on the calendar, I even set a reminder alert for you." Olivia explained to her husband with great frustration.

"Is that what those reminders were? I might have accidently turned those off." Rafael explained nervously. "Liv, I've got court"

"And I have a serial…" She paused choosing her words carefully in front of their preschooler, "to catch"

"Liv, I can't "He said his guilt over forgetting turning to frustration.

"Fine go." She said turning to go back to their room to get ready.

"Don't forget I need you at the courthouse at one to go over your testimony." He said, when she whipped around and he saw her face he knew it was the wrong thing to say.

"Well, Counselor, my husband dropped the ball this morning and apparently turned off some of the alerts on our calendar so I'm not sure if I will make it or not." She said before turning and slamming the bedroom door.

Rafael stared briefly at the door thinking he should go apologize but needed to go if he was going to have time to go by the office before court, so he grabbed his brief case and headed out.

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Rafael rolled his eyes for what must have been the hundredth time that day. The defense's lawyer was getting on his nerves even more than normal. His jury objections were completely ridiculous. Rafael looked at his watch it was already after one, Liv was probably waiting for him. At least he hoped she was. No, he knew she was it was work and even though she was rightfully pissed at him she wouldn't let the case suffer. He owed her an apology and dinner out, and probably a chance to sleep in on Saturday.

"Mr. Barba , any objections to this juror?" The judge asked.

"No your Honor." Rafael answered.

"All right then, I believe we have a jury. We will recess for the day and begin trial on Monday." The judge said as she banged he gavel.

Rafael quickly gathered his things ready to find his wife, apologize and get to work. He was almost to the door when a courthouse police officer stepped into the courtroom.

"I'm sorry we are going to need everyone to stay here. We have an active shooter in the courthouse." He said.

Rafael felt his stomach turn, "Liv" he whispered. He quickly reached to pull out his cellphone out to call her but of course the signal was jammed with all of the activity that must be happening in the rest of the courthouse. All Rafael could do was wait, which he was not especially good at.

He knew Liv would have her gun on her which gave him some comfort He also knew she wouldn't back down if she thought she could get the shooter that was what scared him.

In all his life Rafael had never felt time pass so slowly. He strained to hear bits of pieces of communication over the officer's speaker. He could tell they were in a standoff, he knew that meant SWAT would be on hand. He still had no idea where Olivia was, all he could do was wait. The suddenly the world seemed to stop, he heard the words over the speaker.

"Officer down, we are taking him now." He heard what he assumed was the SWAT commander say then, "Suspect down, everyone hold your position while we clear the building."

"Who is the officer that was shot?" Rafael asked the court officer desperately.

"I don't know Mr. Barba, I'm sorry." He told him.

"I need you to find out, my wife might be out there." Rafael begged the other man.

"I'm sorry, they aren't saying anything yet."

Rafael tried texting Olivia again but could still not get a signal out. He waited desperately trying to control his thoughts. Trying to not think about life without Olivia. Trying not to think about telling their son that Mami would not be coming home. After what seemed like an eternity the all clear came through the officer's speaker. Rafael almost ran over the officer leaving the courtroom in search of his wife.

He was surprised to find Carisi first in the hallway. He practically grabbed the man by his suit jacket desperate for answers, "Is it Liv? Where is she?"

Carisi shook his head, "It's not her counselor, it was a rookie uniform officer and it looks like she's going to be all right. I don't know where The Lieutenant is she texted she was running late and for me to tell you she would be here shortly."

Rafael thanked Carisi and quickly ran out of the courthouse in search of his wife. He was just pulling his phone out again when he heard her.

"Counselor, you looking for someone?" She asked with her signature sass. God he was so glad to hear that sass.

"Yeah," He said smiling as he paused briefly in front of her on the steps, "I was looking for my wife. See I was a complete ass this morning and I really need to apologize."

"Well, she's probably been so scared for the last hour that she will forgive you." She said her voice starting to crack.

He gave her one more smile before reaching his arm around her waist and pulling her close. "I'm so sorry Liv. I'm so glad you are all right. I was so scared." He whispered as he felt her arms go around his neck.

"Let's go home." She whispered back.

The pulled back and noticed Carisi standing there looking uncomfortable trying to give them a little privacy. Oliva offered him a quick smile, "Carisi, tell the team Barba and I will be working on my testimony for the rest of the afternoon. I will see everyone tomorrow" she said as she leaned into her husband's side as they walked down the courthouse steps.

"OH and you might want to let Rollins know you are all right too." She added with a wink.

"All ready did Lieutenant, you two get some work done." He told her with a grin as he turned to leave thinking about where he might take Amanda and Jessie for dinner tonight. He pause for a minute though smiling as he watched the unlikely couple watch away.

Oliva leaned in closer as she and Rafael waited for a cab she turned and smiled at him briefly, "Don't think this means you are off the hook Barba." She said with a smile.

Rafael laughed, "I wouldn't dream of it My Love."

The End


	2. Chapter 2

Behind The Scenes

Chapter 2 Photograph

We keep this love in a photograph

We made these memories for ourselves

Where our eyes are never closing

Hearts are never broken

And time's forever frozen still

Ed Sheeran

This Chapter is based on the pictures of Mariska and Raul at the Joyful Heart Foundation Gala both this year and last year. If you haven't seen them they are amazing! You can see them on my Tumblr page The Magical Shipper.

"Liv you ready?" Barba called down the hallway to their bedroom. He had just returned from dropping Noah off with his mother for the night.

"I think so, do I look all right?" She said turning to find her husband standing in the doorway staring at here.

"What's wrong?" She asked nervously running her hands over the body of her dress.

Barba looked her over again her dress hugged her body perfectly showing off her figure that he loved so much. The red that was swirled through out it was his favorite color on her and her hair was down and straight, she was stunning.

He crossed the room and pulled her to himself, "Nothing, I'm just wondering how on earth I ever got the most gorgeous woman on the planet to marry me."

"Saying things like that probably helped." She said with a smile before kissing him. Barba wasted no time deepening the kiss running his hands across her bare shoulders.

"Raf, we've got to go." She said trying to ignore the feel of his lips now pressing against her neck.

"They can't start without you." He said as his lips traveled down to her shoulders.

Olivia laughed a pushed him softly, "Yes, but I didn't spend half the afternoon getting ready just to have you undo it all in five minutes either."

"Fine, let's go, besides I get to hear everyone to talk about how amazing you are all night. It's a win win for me." He said with a grin as he took her hand.

"I think last year's gala turned out to be a win for both of us." She said pulling him in for one more kiss that promised much more to come.

 _One year earlier_

Barba looked across her desk where she sat exhausted, angry, and defeated. It sounded redundant to say that it had been a hard case, they were all hard cases but this one had been especially bad, it involved kids, and in the end despite how hard they had tried the case had been thrown out because of a screw up in the lab. There had been plenty of angry words exchanged between them.

"I'm sorry Liv." He said quietly.

"Barba it's not your fault, you did everything you could." She said leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes.

"Well, I'm sorry I said that you couldn't expect me to be a damn miracle worker every time one of your people screwed up." He said somewhat sheepishly.

Oliva smiled for the first time that afternoon. "Well then I'm sorry I said I was tired of DAs always blaming the NYPD when they didn't know how to try a case."

"We're good then?" He asked.

"We're good Barba, go home enjoy your weekend." She said trying to sound pleasant but he could hear the tired in her voice.

"What are you doing this weekend?" He asked. "You and Noah have plans?"

"Not really," She said shaking her head, "I was supposed to go to this thing, but Lucy is out of town and I don't have a sitter…or a date…or a dress."

"What's the thing?" Hs asked curious what she might be up to outside of work that she needed a date and dress for.

"It's this organization I volunteer with called the Joyful Heart Foundation, they work with victims of assault and domestic violence, tomorrow night is their annual gala." She explained.

He stared at her for a second in complete amazement, after all she gave at work, and then at home to Noah how was she still able to give more of herself?

"Do you want to go?" He asked

"I don't know, maybe, sometimes as a mom going out seems like more trouble than it's worth." She admitted and then looked uncomfortable for saying it to him.

"If it wasn't work would you want to go?" He asked again.

"Sure, a night out would be fun."

He stood up and walked around her desk and sat on the corner closer to her, "Well then Lieutenant Benson, I will see you at seven tomorrow night with a babysitter and you and I are going for a night out."

Olivia looked at him trying to decide if he was serious, "Barba, you don't have to…" she started to say.

"Stop, we've fought enough this week," He said as he got up off her desk and turned to leave, "I will see you at seven tomorrow, go get yourself a dress." He said before closing her office door.

Olivia sat at her desk staring at the door trying to figure out what had just happened. She wasn't completely sure, but she thought she had a date with Barba tomorrow night. She had seen him almost him every day for the last two weeks, but suddenly she felt a huge mix of nerves and excitement in her stomach. She shook her head trying to keep herself from reading too much into it. She spent a few unsuccessful minutes trying to finish up her paperwork but decided it could wait until Monday, she had a dress to buy.

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Olivia thought of a hundred reasons they shouldn't go that night. She had even texted Barba a few times throughout the day.

 _You don't have to do this you know._

 _I know._

 _Sometimes Noah is hard to get to bed._

 _Trust me the babysitter can handle it._

 _Barba, I don't know…_

 _I will see you at seven_

Damn, that man was stubborn she thought. Why did he want to do this anyways? Who was he bringing to watch Noah? Why was she agreeing to let someone watch her son that she didn't even know? What kind of mother was she? She sighed, she knew the answer, she was a mother in desperate need of a night out and yes a little attention from a man. Especially a man she found herself thinking about more often than she cared to admit.

At ten minutes to seven her buzzer rang. Olivia took one last look in the mirror and straightened her black dress hoping it looked all right.

"Noah, where are you?" She called.

"Here, Mommy." He said coming from his room, "Mommy pretty!" He exclaimed when he saw her.

"Thank you my love." She said picking him up and going to open the door, in complete shock to see Barba standing at the front door with Munch.

"Munch and Rafi! " Noah exclaimed happy to see both men. "Look at pretty Mommy!" he told both men.

"Mama hermosa." Barba said unable to take his eyes off of Olivia, causing her to blush.

"You are the babysitter?" Olivia asked Munch with a laugh.

"Yes, and I have to say I'm rather hurt that you didn't ask me yourself. It took Barba here calling me to know you needed someone."

"Well don't worry you survive tonight and I will be calling again. " She told him noticing that Barba was still standing in the doorway staring at her.

"You want to come in for a minute Barba?" She teased.

"Yes, of course." He said suddenly embarrassed that he had been caught staring but he couldn't help it she looked so damn sexy he was mesmerized.

He watched her as she showed Munch around the apartment and all of Noah's things. All the little details of her life at home that Barba loved to see. How to do Noah's inhaler before bed, what kind of snack he could have, where his pajamas were, the best way to get him to sleep. She went through all these things while wearing this long black dress that had a lacey top that showed off more of her than he had ever seen before. Watching her he could barely breathe, everything about her was stunning. Suddenly he worried that tonight was a mistake. He had been able to keep his growing feelings for her under control but tonight standing here watching here in that dress care for her son he could no longer deny that he was falling in love with her.

"OK, I guess that's everything. Call me if you need anything." Olivia told Munch.

She picked Noah up and hugged him tight, "Have fun with Much, My Love." She said before setting him down.

She turned to Barba who was still unusually quiet, "Do you think I need a coat?"

All Barba could think was he didn't want anything covering up any other part of that dress she was wearing. "No, it's pretty warm out." He answered honestly.

"OK, should I call us a cab?" She asked.

Suddenly Barba snapped out of it remembering that it was his job to show her a good time tonight. He smiled at her, "No, I have that taken care of. You ready?"

Olivia paused for a minute taking a look at him for the first time tonight. Barba always looked nice but tonight in his charcoal gray suit with blue pocket square and tie with just a slight bit of stubble there was something different and sexy about him.

She smiled at slightly flirty smile at him, "Yes, I think I am." She said and felt butterflies in her stomach when she felt him put his hand on her back.

As they walked down the steps of her building she looked at him in surprise when she saw the limousine sitting out front.

"Barba, what did you do?"

"Come on do you have any idea how hard it is to get a cab on a Saturday night?" He asked with a grin. "Come on, you deserve a night that's more fun than work and that's what I'm giving you."

She paused for a minute and placed her hand on his chest, "Thank you." She said before kissing him quickly on the cheek and sliding into the car door that the driver was holding open, leaving Barba standing there staring again.

Barba didn't know what to expect at the Gala but he was determined to make sure that Olivia had a good time. They arrived at Lincoln Center and made their way through the gathering crowd. Many people stopped Olivia and she introduced Rafael to them all but Rafael knew that one thing he and Olivia had in common was their disdain for small talk. He leaned in at one point and whispered, "Be right back." She nodded and continued to talk to the others.

She smiled a grateful smile when he returned with a glass of cabernet, "Liv, they have a silent auction, should we go look it over?" He asked rescuing her from her conversation.

"Oh, yes, definitely." She said stepping closer to him when she felt his arm around her waist. They looked through the items.

"There are tickets to Hamilton." Barba said excitedly

"I never knew you liked musicals." She said in surprise.

"Confession, I did some musical theater in high school and college." He told her.

"You sing?" She asked.

He grinned at her, "Maybe if you are lucky later you can hear some."

Olivia rolled her eyes at his obvious flirting, then the next item they came to caught her eye. Barba looked over her shoulder trying to see what is was.

"What is it?" He asked.

"A trip to Disney World, at one of their deluxe resorts, I would love to take Noah." She said wishfully.

"You should bid." He said placing his hand on her hip as he stood behind her.

Olivia leaned back slightly into him, "No the bids are already out of my budget."

The lights flickered in the lobby, "Come on she said the ceremony starting soon." She said taking his had without thinking about it as they walked to their seats.

"Do you want another glass of wine before it starts?" He asked her.

"Yes, that would be great."

"Ok, go ahead I'll catch up." He told her.

A few minutes later Barba showed up with their drinks and settled into the seat next to her slipping his arm around her smiling as he noticed that she scooted closer to him. He didn't know exactly what was going on between them but he knew it was something different.

They program was inspiring and he could see why Olivia liked this organization after everything she saw it was a way for her to help victims begin to recover. He decided he would find out what he could do to be involved with it too.

Olivia tried to pay attention to the program but honestly she was too distracted by the thoughts in her head and the butterflies in her stomach. Barba's arm was around her shoulder and she was scooted in close next to him. Periodically he would trace his fingers along her shoulders and arm and it was driving her crazy in the best possible way. She had been attracted to him for as long as she had known him but in the last year her feelings had begun to change to more than just attraction. She had managed to keep in under control but tonight though with him touching her, looking at her the way he was, she didn't know how much longer she could trust herself.

"Hey, you ok?" Barba whispered in her ear sensing she had zoned out a little.

She smiled at him and place a hand on his knee, "Yes, just thinking about what a nice evening this is."

Barba smiled back at her and ran his fingers through her hair, "I would like to do this more often"

"Well the gala is only once a year." She teased, earning her a look and an eye roll from him. Then he leaned over and whispered in a low voice, "I don't plan to wait a year to have you this close to me again." Olivia's eyes flew open wide as she looked at him then rolled her eyes at the smug smile on his face. The man next to them cleared his throat indicating they needed to be quiet. They both stifled laughs and settled back his arm around her and her hand still on his knee.

The program ended and Olivia noticed Barba checking his phone. "Everything all right?"

He responded to the text and stuck his phone back in his pocket, "Yes, just had to confirm something." He said as he stood up and offered her his hand. She gave him a dubious look but linked her fingers with his. They made their way out of the auditorium and back into the gathering area.

"Hey, look there is a photographer, let's get pictures." Olivia said with excitement.

Barba smiled at her excitement it had been a long time since he had seen her this relaxed. They waited in line for pictures the small touches from earlier continuing as they seemed to not be able to keep their hands off of each other.

"Ok, sir stand behind your wife." The photographer said clearly over his duties for the evening.

Liv was rattled by his statement, "Oh, um…" She started to say but Barba cut her off.

"Come on Mrs. Barba, the man is busy." Barba said with a grin pulling her over to him and wrapping his arms around her. Olivia let out a loud laugh and smiled as she felt his arms tighten around her. As the photographer was snapping pictures he took a breath before saying something.

"So, Mrs. Barba," He started causing Olivia to smile again and glance back at him, "How much vacation do you have?"

"A couple of weeks? Why?' She asked glancing at him again.

"I got you and Noah that trip to Disney World." He said wrapping his arms tighter around her half afraid she might runaway.

She turned her head to him her eyes sparkling, "Rafael, did you really?" she asked.

"All right, you two are done." The photographer said.

Barba took Olivia's hand, a walked her toward the door of the balcony pulling her into his arms as soon as they were outside.

"I did Liv, I bought you and Noah the trip to Disney World because I knew you wanted it and it would make both of you happy, so please don't tell me no, or that you won't accept it, let me do this for you." He said speaking quickly and nervously.

Her answer to him was to throw her arms around his neck and press her lips against his. Barba didn't hesitate to kiss her back pulling her closer. They stood on the balcony lost in their first taste of each other. When they both needed to breathe they stood there with their foreheads pressed together.

"So, I take it you are ok with it?" He asked her with a laugh.

"Rafael that is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." She told him trying not to cry at all of the emotions she was feeling.

"Liv, I think there is a very real chance that I am falling in love with you." He told her deciding to get it all out in the open.

"Well, I'm glad to know you don't buy trips to Disney World on all of your first dates." She said with a grin.

"Liv, I'm serious, I need you to know how I feel, how much I care about you. " He said running his fingers through her hair.

"Rafael, you drive me crazy every single day and most days I don't know if I want to yell at you or kiss you, but mostly I just know that I want to be with you. I think there is a very real chance that I am falling in love with you too."

"Well, I've always thought it was pretty hot when you yelled at me but I have to say now I definitely prefer the kissing." He said as he lowered his lips to hers again.

When they arrived back at her place that night Munch just smiled at the sight of Barba's jacket thrown over her shoulders and how they kept touching her as they talked.

"Well you two enjoy the rest of your evening." He said with a smile, when Live went to check on Noah he shook Barba's hand, "Be good to her." He told him as he left.

Three months later standing in front of Cinderella's Castle he pulled a ring from his pocket and told her that he wanted the three of them to be a family forever, six months after that they were married.

 _Present Day_

This year at the gala they moved through the crowd with ease and were seated in the front row of the auditorium. Barba listened with pride as the president of the organization spoke about his wife and all that she had done to help victims both in her professional and personal life. He was positively beaming when Liv accepted her award and spoke with passion about how she would continue the important work.

As they walked out Liv took his hand and led him to the photographer. "This guy again?" He asked rolling his eyes.

"Hey I remember you two, Disney World, what are you buying her this year Buddy?" the photographer asked.

Barba laughed out loud, "Whatever she wants." He said as he wrapped his arms around his wife.

The End


	3. Chapter 3 You're Wrong You Know

Chapter 3

You're Wrong You know

Oliva shifted in the pew as the priest continued, she slipped her hand into her husband's who looked briefly at her, she could see her own grief reflected in his eyes. His passing had come as such a shock to everyone. Yes, he was in his seventies but still everyone had assumed that he would live forever, trying cases whenever possible. Yet here they were attending the funeral for John James McCoy.

Oliva had known Jack longer than Rafael had but over the last several years he and Jack had formed a close relationship. Olivia suspected that Jack saw a younger version of himself in her husband. They had grown up in similar working class families with fathers who were less than kind to say the least. They were both use to being the smartest person in any room that they were in. Maybe it was growing up with the fathers that they did but neither of them ever backed down from a fight or were afraid to take on someone more powerful than themselves. Jack might have been one of the most unpredictable DAs Manhattan had ever seen but in both Oliva and Rafael's minds he was the best.

They walked hand in hand out of Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Rafael wrapped his arms around Olivia once they reached the steps. "I love you." He whispered into her hair pulling her closer. Oliva pulled back slightly to look in his eyes and placed a hand on her face and kissed him softly, "I love you." She whispered back as he pulled her back in to himself and they stood there unaware of anyone else.

"Excuse me, Mr. Barba, Captain Benson," A young woman that they both recognized from the Mayor's office approached them. "I hate to interrupt but the Mayor was wondering if you could meet with you this afternoon, Mr. Barba."

Rafael and Olivia exchanged puzzled looks for a minute. Olivia quickly nodded her head telling Rafael to agree. "Yes, of course" Rafael told her.

"Wonderful, he will see you at four." She said before rushing off.

"Did you do something I should know about?" Liv asked her husband,

Rafael shook his head, "I don't think so."

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Rafael opened the door to their apartment slowly his mind still turning over the meeting he had just come from. He smiled when he heard the familiar playlist coming from the kitchen, it meant Liv and Noah were cooking dinner together. Well it meant Liv was cooking and Noah dancing around the kitchen. He stood in the doorway watching the two of them dancing and laughing, He still didn't know what he had done to deserve to come home to this but he knew nothing would ever be more important than what he had here.

"Is there room for one more in this dance party?" He asked.

"Papi!" Noah yelled and ran to him. "Mami, put on Taylor Swift again."

Rafael laughed as he picked him up and hugged him, "I hear that, well Mami had a rough day so let her shake it off." He told him as he danced both of them over to the counter where Liv was chopping vegetables and pulled her into a kiss while still holding their son.

"Mmm, I'm glad we are all home tonight." She said leaning her head onto him and rubbing Noah's back.

"Me too." He husband agreed.

Later that evening after they had gotten Noah in bed Rafael poured Olivia a glass of wine and himself some scotch and sat down next to her on the couch.

"So do I get to find out about your meeting with the Mayor?" She finally asked him.

He took a long drink of his scotch before answering.

"The mayor wants to appoint me as temporary DA until a special election can be held. "He told her studying her face to for her reaction.

"Raf, are you serious?" She asked trying to take in the news. Her husband on more than one occasion had taken on some very powerful people in the city so this was a complete shock.

"I am Liv, he needs an answer in the morning." Rafael told her still trying to gauge her reaction.

"Do you want to do it?" She asked him.

"I don't know, if you had asked me five years ago, hell even three years ago my answer would have been yes, but everything has changed since then." He told her setting down both of their glasses and taking her hands in his. "My life is about a lot more than my career now."

Olivia smiled a kissed him softly, "Honey, I know that but it doesn't mean that your career isn't still a big part of it. This is a great opportunity for you and if you want it you should do it."

"But it would mean we won't be working together anymore." He reminded her

"Most people don't get to work with their spouse and still manage all right." She teased him then added, " I'm more worried about having to break in a new ADA, you guys take a lot of training."

Rafael rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around her pulling her to him, "Well if SVU officers weren't so emotionally involved we wouldn't have to be so difficult." He teased before capturing her lips for a long drawn out kiss.

When he let her go she smiled at him, "I wonder how many people know that the new District Attorney for Manhattan kisses like that."

He smiled at her, "So you are really all right with this?" he asked her again.

She kissed him again before whispering, "Take me to bed and I'll show you how all right I am with it."

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In her wildest dreams of how Olivia Benson had ever pictured her life turning out married to the District Attorney for Manhattan was never something that she pictured. Yet here they were the following Monday standing in the courthouse like so many times before. Rafael dressed in the new dark blue suit she had managed to get him over the weekend and her in a light gray one.

"Captain Benson, are you ready for this?" The Mayor asked as they got ready to walk out to the reporters waiting to learn who was being appointed.

"Being married to the DA sure, a press conference never." Olivia laughed.

"It was harder to get her to agree to do this than it was for her to agree for me to take the position." Raf added.

"Well then let's get it over with." The he told them as they walked out.

Rafael reached for Olivia's hand who kissed him quickly then shook her head, "This is your moment, and I am right behind you."

As she stood right behind him listening to the Mayor speak of her husband's accomplishments Olivia felt her heart fill with pride. She couldn't help but reach out and put her hands on his shoulders. He turned back to her and smiled.

"You're wrong you know."

"How it that?" She asked with a laugh, leave it to him to pick a fight in the middle of this.

"It's our moment, because I would never be here without you."

Olivia resisted the urge to kiss him when she heard the Mayor say, "It is with great pleasure I turn this over to the acting District of Manhattan Rafael Barba,"

Rafael waved to the crowd and Olivia could not help but wave with him a ridiculously proud and happy smile on her face as her husband walked to the podium.

The End


	4. Chapter 4

A/N This is based on the pictures from filming this week of the two of them in the park, you can find them on my Tumblr The Magical Shipper. These stories are meant to stand alone so don't try and fit them together.

"Noah, you can play on this part of the playground while we wait for Mami, ok?" Rafael told the preschooler. "I will be right here on the bench."

"Ok, Rafi," Noah answered as he ran off.

Rafael looked around the playground and suddenly felt out of place in his three piece suit among the nannies and stay at home parents that were occupying the park shortly before lunch on a Friday. It was Lucy's day off and fall break for Noah's preschool. Liv had an early meeting and Rafael had offered to keep Noah until she was done.

He settled himself on the bench with the morning paper but there was no way he was reading it. He wouldn't take his eyes of Noah for even a second. Liv had convinced him it was ok not to keep him in arms reach at the playground but he still wouldn't take his eyes off of him. He had seen too much.

They hadn't been there long when he spotted Liv crossing the park towards them. She was looking down at her phone and didn't seem too pleased at what she was reading.

"Liv" He called out making his way towards her.

She looked up from the phone and scanned the playground until she saw Noah playing with some other boys.

"Hey" She said glancing around before giving him a quick kiss.

Rafael decided to let that go without a comment. They were still cautious publicly with their relationship. Their bosses knew, his mother, and Lucy but that was about it. It was becoming a point of contention at times and he didn't want to start a fight.

"What's up?" He asked motioning towards her phone.

Liv sighed knowing he wouldn't like her answer but a commitment to total honesty is how they had repaired their relationship and built what they had now.

"It's Tucker." She told him and took a breath waiting for his response.

"And what does he want?" Rafael asked failing already at controlling his reaction to the mention of the man.

"He says he needs to go over something with me and could we have dinner." Liv told him the letting all of the air out of her lungs.

Rafael turned back to the bench and gathered his suit jacket.

"Raf, please don't walk off." She said.

He put on his jacket and walked back to her casting a glance at her phone as if Tucker himself were standing there.

"He's not with IAB anymore so you don't report to him in anyway, so whatever it is it's personal." Rafael pointed out.

"Raf, you don't know that." She protested.

"Liv, the man isn't over you, he asked you to marry him remember?"

"And I said no remember?" She pointed out.

Rafael ran his hand through his hair, "Liv, we almost most lost each other because of Ed Tucker. I don't want him interfering with what we have now." He told her his eyes full of vulnerability.

Liv softened a little, "Raf, we almost lost each other because we were both afraid to admit how we felt and then because we are both as stubborn as hell. We've fixed one of those issues and are still working on the second." She said running her hand down his arm.

"Maybe I would feel better if he didn't think you were still single. " He told her and he felt her stiffen back up."It's been over a year since you two broke up and he thinks you are still single he's probably still holding out hope for the two of you. I know I would be."

"If I tell him it will become public knowledge." Liv pointed out.

"Good, it should be. I love you Liv and I love Noah. I'm perfectly all right with everyone knowing. You are the one holding back." Rafael said his frustration returning. "Listen, I have to get to the office. I'll talk to you later."

"Raf," she called after him and he turned back to her, "I love you."

"Oh I forgot, Noah drew this earlier," He said handing her a rolled up piece of paper he had been holding.

Olivia opened it as Rafael walked away. It was a drawing of the three of them and in his best four year old scrambled handwriting he had written My Family. Standing there in the park Olivia thought back to that night last fall.

BarsonBarsonBarson

It was late at night and they had been preparing for a case. She had asked him to come to her place so she could get Noah to bed. Ed had been away for training with the hostage negotiation unit. Which was good Olivia needed some space.

They had finished up their work for the evening and Barba was packing up his things.

"This was nice, I've missed this. I had really missed having dinner with you and Noah." He told her.

Olivia looked at him for a minute and then blurted out something Barba never wanted to hear, "Ed asked me to marry him."

Barba stared at her in shock and stammered for a minute before managing to say, "That's great, I'm happy for you both. I guess I will see you in court tomorrow."

He stopped in his tracks when he heard her say, "I haven't given him an answer yet."

"Why not?" He asked still not turning back to face her.

"Because I'm not sure that I want to be squabbling with him when I'm eighty five."

"Liv" He said barely above a whisper turning to face her.

"Tell me why I should tell him no Barba, give me a reason." She said desperately.

Barba looked her in the eyes, "You should tell him no because he's not right for you and as far as I can tell you aren't in love with him." He told her.

"But he loves me and wants to be with me." She said tears forming in her eyes.

"What do you want Liv?" He asked crossing the room back towards her.

"I don't think I can have what I want." She said the tears now streaming down her cheeks, "It's too late for what I want. I messed it up."

"What do you want Liv?" He asked her again standing inches from her.

"I want to know if you could love me." She said in a voice that was so broken he was reminded of how much she had endured in her life, so many things that still haunted her and made her doubt her own worth.

He gently put his hands on her face, "I want you to hear me very clearly Olivia. Perhaps the only thing in this world that I am not capable of is not loving you. I have spent months trying not to love you and it hasn't worked."

"I don't want to marry Ed because that means I will never know what could have been between us." She told him her voice shaking.

"It's not to late Liv. I'm standing here telling you we can still find out if that's what you want." Barba said still looking into her eyes.

"I'm scared Barba." She said as the tears continued to streak down her face.

"I am too, but I'm more afraid of never knowing what we could be." Barba confessed.

"What if we lose it all?"

"Liv, I can't promise you that we will work, but I can promise to fight for us as hard as I fight for anything else, if you do the same I think we have a pretty good shot. Are you willing to fight for us Liv?"

Olivia found she was unable to speak as she shook her head and placed her hands on his face as their lips met in a passionate kiss.

Coming back to the present Olivia looked at her son's drawing in one hand and her phone in the other. She typed out a quick text.

 _I'm at the playground with Noah I will be here for an hour if you want to meet me._

Olivia dreaded seeing the smug look on Rafael's face when she told him how right he was about what Tucker wanted. Her only hope was that he would be so glad she had told Tucker about them he wouldn't gloat too much.

 _I'm sorry about earlier. Will you be home for dinner?_

 _A late dinner. Maybe you could feed Noah then I can bring us home something?_

 _I'll take care of everything just pick up some wine. Xoxo_

 _I love you._

Liv smiled as she and Noah rushed home so she could put her plans in motion. She did in fact feed Noah early and get him in bed. She was just coming out of his room when the doorbell rang.

"All right what's up Liv? Why the last minute get together?" Fin asked as he came in. Amanda and Carisi followed him in. Carisi was carrying Jessie who had fallen asleep on the way.

"You can put her on my bed." Olivia offered pointing down the hall.

"So really what's going on?" Amanda asked as Carisi walked off with the toddler and Finn poured himself a drink.

"LT, I moved Barba's suit jacket off the bed so Jessie wouldn't mess it up."

Carisi said coming out of the room prompting everyone to turn and look at him.

"What? I figured if she invited us all here we didn't have to act like we didn't know anymore."

Olivia was completely speechless as she heard Rafael walk in, "Liv, I'm home, I grabbed the wine." He stopped as he looked up to see the apartment full of his girlfriend's squad.

"Um, Liv what's going on?" He asked completely confused.

Olivia walked over to him, "I'm not holding back Raf, I want everyone to know that. All though apparently they already did." She said with a laugh and then her breath caught as she felt him pull her in for a kiss.

"Are we going to have to see this every day?" Fin asked with a groan.

"Only if I'm really lucky." Rafael told him.

The End


	5. Chapter 5 Letting Go

Behind The Scenes Chapter 5

Letting Go

A/N If you haven't seen the picture this chapter is based on please visit my Tumblr The Magical Shipper, it is the most adorable Barson picture ever. Thanks Barson Addict for asking for the story, if anyone else has a picture they want a story from please PM me here or on Tumblr.

"What's my teacher's name again Pappi?" Noah asked Rafael as they were finishing their breakfast.

"Mrs. Pimberton, what did you think of her?"

"She seemed nice. I like that there are turtles in my class and I saw two friends that I know." Noah said excitedly.

"Noah you need to finish eating and get dressed, you don't want to be late on your first day of kindergarten." Olivia said as she came in the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"I set out your favorite suspenders." Rafael added knowing Noah always liked to wear suspenders on special occasions.

"I'm going to wear my Star Wars t-shirt." Noah told the, as he walked back to his room.

"You sure buddy?" Rafael called after him trying to hide the disappointment in his voice, he loved that Noah liked to dress like him.

"Yeah, suspenders aren't for kindergarten Pappi." He explained to Rafael.

Oliva smiled and suppressed a sight giggle at the disappointed look on her husband's face as he was now standing at the sink in his pink and blue checked shirt and pink and blue suspenders. Playfully grabbing his suspenders she pulled him closer and gave him a kiss.

"I guess it's time we start letting go." She said.

"But no suspenders? I wasn't ready for that." He pouted a little.

"It was bound to happen eventually Honey." She said with a laugh. "You can still wear suspenders anytime you want." She said before kissing him again and letting him go as she glanced over at the Star Wars backpack and lunch box sitting on the counter.

"I hope we made the right choice." She said nervously.

"Liv, we spent a year looking at a dozen schools. I didn't put as much work into choosing a college as we did picking an elementary school for our son." He pointed out.

"You got a scholarship to Harvard it wasn't a hard choice." She reminded him dryly.

Rafael shrugged and smiled his cocky smile. She knew he was right though. They had looked at Catholic schools, charter schools, magnet schools, private schools that cost more than Harvard, and then settled on the public school just two blocks from their apartment. The class sizes were small and they really took a hands on approach to learning that Olivia and Rafael both liked.

"I'm ready!" Noah said excitedly as he came back into the kitchen with his Star Wars shirt and new blue jeans.

"Did you brush your teeth?" Liv asked him.

"Yes Mami, Can we go now?" He asked impatiently

Rafael and Olivia both laughed, "Yes, Hijo let's go." Rafael said handing him his backpack.

As they made their way down the stairs on their building Noah spotted his friend Austin.

"Hi, Austin!" He called out quickly dropping Olivia's hand.

The boys quickly started talking leaving the parents walking an acceptable distance behind them. The parents all tried to make polite conversation for the short two block walk but were all clearly more nervous than their boys. As they approached the steps to the building Oliva quickened her steps to catch up with Noah following him up the first couple of steps unit he turned around and looked at her.

"It's Ok Mami, you and Pappi don't need to walk me in, I'm OK." He told her.

If it hadn't been for Rafael's arm quickly wrapping around her she might have fallen over at his words.

"I wanted to take a picture of you with your teacher Noah." She explained.

"Mami you took one at open house." He reminder her.

"We have to start letting him go." Rafael whispered in her ear reminding her of her words from earlier which earned him a sharp look.

"Can I go now?" Noah asked impatiently.

"Give your Mami a hug first." Rafael told him.

Noah flew at Olivia giving her a big hug and kiss, "I love you Mami, I will see you later, bye Pappi."

"Bye Hijo, we love you, have a good day, Lucy will pick you up at three. Mami and I will see you tonight." Rafael told him because he could tell his wife was barely holding back the tears. Noah made his way up the stairs and Rafael took Olivia's hand and led her to a bench in front of the school. As she sat down and Rafael walked behind her a thousand memories flooded her mind. The day she found Noah, the day Ellie died, when she brought him home, when the adoption was finalized, how he looked in his tuxedo when she and Rafael got married.

"How did it go so quickly?" She asked sticking out her lip into a pout.

Rafael moved in close behind her, never taking his gaze odd their son walking up all those steps into this new chapter of his life.

"It's not over My Love, it's just beginning." He told her.


	6. Chapter 6 Monkey Business

Behind The Scenes

Chapter 6

Set after the season 16 episode Granting Immunity (which is one of my favorite Barson episodes because Barba is completely going after that woman because Noah is sick). You can find the picture of Raul with a stuffed monkey on my Tumblr AMagicalShipper .

Olivia set Noah down in with some of his toys while she went to answer the door. She was surprised to find Rafael Barba standing on the other side holding two gift bags.

"Hey, Barba, I didn't expect to see you, come on in." She said but her thoughts were turning quickly. _Why is he here? Oh God and I'm an absolute mess? When was the last time I showered? Are these clothes clean?_

'Well, I hadn't really gotten to see you or Noah since the trial was over and he got to come home. I wanted to see how you guys were. Plus I brought you guys some presents." He said with a smile holding up the bags.

"Come on in, he's still a little cranky but feeling better." She said

"Noah, Barba came to see us." She said and the boy looked over and smiled from his toys.

"How are you holding up?" Barba asked as she cleared a place for them on the couch.

"I'm all right, glad to be home from the hospital."

Barba nodded, "Here this one is for you." He said handing her a slightly heavy bag.

Olivia smiled as she pulled out the contents, because they were so perfecting coming from Barba, a pound of high end freshly ground coffee, a bottle of cabernet that probably cost more than she spent on a month's worth of wine, and some kind of snack mix that looked delicious.

"Thank you, these are so perfect" she said as she opened the snack mix stifling a laugh when Barba instantly helped himself to a handful. _How did he eat all the time and still look so good. Wait? Why was she thinking about how good Barba looked? But really it was Saturday afternoon he was in jeans and polo shirt, obviously hadn't shaved and he looked really good_. Liv shook her head trying to snap out of it.

"You all right Liv?" He asked,

"Yeah, sorry just a little tired, I guess." She said which was partially true. "Hey Noah, do you want to see what Barba brought you?" She asked holding out the present to the boy who took it happily.

He squealed at once as he pulled a soft fuzzy monkey from the bag, "Monkey!" he yelled which made Oliva and Barba both smile.

"I remembered you saying the monkeys were his favorite when you took him to the zoo a few weeks ago. There's something else too." He told her handing the bag to Olivia.

"Barba,that is so sweet thank you." She said as she pulled a hardback copy of The Complete Adventures of Curious George. "I am always trying to read to him and we don't have this yet." Without thinking she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. _Why did I do that?_ She thought to herself.

"It was one of my favorites as a kid, so since he likes Monkeys I thought he might like it." Barba said with a mix of pride and nerves. He caught Oliva yawning as she flipped through the pages. "Liv, when was the last time you slept?" He asked her.

"A couple of hours last night." She admitted.

'Why don't you go lay down. I can hang with Noah for a little while." He offered.

"Barba, I couldn't ask you to do that. I'm fine." She said but a yawn quickly betrayed her.

"Liv, your exhausted, go rest. If I need you I will come get you." He told her.

Olivia was hesitant but the truth was she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open.

"All right but just for a few minutes." She told him, "He's probably going to want lunch in a little while. Feel free to come wake me up when he gets fussy.

"No problem, go rest." Barba said with a tender smile.

BarsonBarsonBarson

Oliva woke in a panic, unsure at first what was going on. Then h remembered Barba had come over and offered to watch Noah while she napped for a few minutes. She sat up in her bed and tried to shake the cobwebs from her brain. She picked up her phone from the night stand to check the time and instant panic set it. It read eight thirty, it hadn't even been lunch time when she laid down. She bolted out of her room.

"Barba? Noah?" She called out and stopped instantly as she walked through the kitchen it was spotless the dishes done, Noah's cereal from earlier had been swept up. New dishes from what looked to have been lunch and dinner were washed and sitting in the drying rack. She continued into the living room which had been cleaned up as well all of Noah's toys and books put away. All of her mail and paperwork stacked neatly on her desk.

Her eyes wandered over to the couch and she stopped at what she saw there. Noah was dressed in clean pajamas, it appeared he had been bathed and he was holding his new monkey and asleep in Barba's arms who was also asleep.

Liv started to wake them but instead covered them with a blanket and headed off for a much needed shower. Maybe when she finished she would wake Barba up and offer to share that bottle of wine with him.

The End


	7. Chapter 7 Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday

This chapter is based on the wonderful pictures from Raul's birthday last week. Check them out on my Tumblr blog A Magical Shipper.

"I mean it Liv no party." Rafael told her over breakfast one morning for what must have been the fifteenth time.

"Rafael Barba, you are absolutely no fun what so ever." She pouted.

He stood up to put his plate in the sink and kissed her quickly on the way by, "You seemed to have plenty of fun with me last night."

Olivia rolled her eyes, "Raf, I want to do this for you, it's a big deal."

"What's a big deal?" Noah asked coming into the kitchen

"Rafi's birthday" Oliva told him knowing that the four year old would agree a birthday is a big deal.

"Oh Rafi could have a Lego party like mine! Or we could go to the place with all the jumpies." Noah said excitedly.

"See, even Noah wants you to have a special birthday." Oliva smirked, causing Barba to roll his eyes this time.

"Listen this isn't even a big birthday, it just a birthday that means I'm officially closer to fifty than forty." He told her.

"All birthdays are big, we aren't promised another one. Plus this is your first birthday since we've been a couple," Olivia pointed out.

"Oh so you're not counting my last birthday?" He asked her.

"Well technically we weren't a couple then." She reminded him.

Rafael crossed back to the kitchen scooped up Noah on his way and pulled Olivia over to them, "The three of us together, our family, is all I need for my birthday." He said before giving her a quick kiss. "Go get your school bag Noah, we need to go." He said putting the boy down and waiting for him to be out for him to be out of earshot before he continued, "And after Noah goes to bed, I wouldn't mind a repeat of my last birthday." He said before giving her a fiery kiss.

Olivia started to say something but he cut her off, "Face it Mi Amor, you're never going to top last year's birthday." He whispered in her ear before letting go of her and go to find Noah.

"That sounds like a challenge counselor." She teased, her heart still racing from his kiss.

Barba turned back to her. "Feel free to try to top it in any way that doesn't include a birthday party."

A smug smile crossed her lips and Barba instantly knew he was in trouble, "Liv…"

"Noah, you and Rafi need to go, Mommy has work to do."

"Liv…" He said again.

She crossed the room to him and slid her hands up his chest taking hold of his suspenders and kissing him slowly, "Don't worry my love, no birthday party." She said in a voice that made Barba equal parts excited and nervous to see what she was planning.

Oliva smiled as she watched her men leave for their day, as soon as the door to the apartment closed she pulled out her phone and called Finn to tell him she was taking a personal day. She only had a little over a week to pull this off and she wanted to do it right. She sat down at her desk to start making a list of everything she needed to do. She picked up the framed picture sitting on it of her and Barba, it was taken on his birthday last year, and she smiled thinking of the memory of that night.

One Year Earlier

"Nothing like a conviction on your birthday, huh Counselor?" Finn asked shaking Barba's hand as they filed out of the courtroom.

"All right dinner and drinks at my place to celebrate the win and Barba's birthday." Olivia announced much to Barba's surprise. Everyone agreed and quickly hurried off to finish up their work for the day.

"Liv you don't have to…"he began before she cut him off.

"Stop arguing Barba courts over, be at my place at seven." She told him in her lieutenant voice but with a smile that Barba could never resist.

"Is that an order?" He asked with a smirk.

"Do I need to make it one?" She asked him with that same smile taking a step closer to him and Barba could feel his heart skip a beat.

"See you then Lieutenant." He grinned

Barba and the team filled her apartment that evening eating Chinese food and drinking wine. Noah ran around entertaining everyone until he eventually fell asleep on the couch next to Barba. When Olivia looked up from her conversation with Amanda she caught sight of Noah laying with his head in Barba's lap as Barba was talking to Carisi.

"I'm sorry Barba, I'll take him." She said apologetically.

"Shh, I've got him." Hs said standing up with the sleeping boy, "His room?" Barba asked.

Olivia nodded and followed behind the two of them watching Barba as he laid Noah gently on his bed. She pulled a pair of pajamas out of his drawer and quickly changed his clothes Barba's help and then switched on his night light.

"Come on" She whispered and in what seemed like the most natural motion ever she reached for his hand and when his fingers wrapped around hers they both felt a jolt of electricity run through them and they stopped. In the glow of the nightlight they could see the other's face as they turned towards each other.

"Barba…"

"Liv…" He answered stepping closer to her placing his free hand on the side of her face searching her eyes for permission and smiling when he saw her close them. His lips had just barely grazed hers when he heard footsteps coming down the hall.

"Counselor come on you've got to blow out your candles."Carisi who had a little more wine than usual yelled.

"Hold that thought." Barba whispered before letting go of Olivia's hand. Flush and more than a little flustered Olivia followed Barba back to the rest of the group where they had the cake she had bought earlier ready with candles. The group sang him a terribly off key but fun filled "Happy Birthday".

"Make a wish!" Amanda said when they finished. Barba looked across at Oliva and smiled before blowing out the candles in one breath.

"I guess it will come true." Finn said.

"I hope so." Barba responded still looking at Olivia.

Oliva felt Barba's eyes on her as they ate their cake. Damn, if he didn't make eating a piece of cake look like the sexiest thing ever. At some point Amanda told them to sit closer so she could get a picture of them. She could still feel the briefest brush of his lips against hers and felt her cheeks grow flush as she thought about it. "Hold that thought." He had said. What the hell did that mean? She was pretty sure she had her answer when everyone was leaving and she heard him turn down an offer to share a ride.

"I'm going to help Liv clean up." He told Finn.

Olivia felt her a knot develop in her stomach as she nervously began to pick up plates and carry them to the kitchen. She heard Barba follow her into the kitchen, he managed to reach around her and set the dishes in the sink, standing as close to her as he could without touching her. Slowly she turned around and met his eyes.

"Want to know what I wished for?" He asked his voice in low tone that Olivia had never heard before.

"If you tell me, it won't come true." She said her voice shaking slightly.

"I think it will." He said moving his hands slightly closer to her on the counter but still not touching her.

"Barba.." She said placing a hand on his chest and running it down his tie.

"Liv, do you want me to leave, or to stop?" He asked her.

"No" She said firmly before turning her face towards his and closing the half step between them as she place her arms around his neck and felt his wrap around her.

"I wished for a chance to show you how I feel about you." He told her his voice now shaking after they ended that first kiss.

"Then why are you stopping?" She asked him as she took his hand and led him down the hall.

He paused outside her bedroom door, "You know it's not just about this right?"

Olivia smiled at this man who was more earnest and sincere than anyone would ever know. "You wouldn't be here if I didn't."

"This won't always be easy, you know that right?" She asked him as they lay in each other arms afterwards.

"Getting you in bed?" Barba teased earning him a jab to his ribs.

"Us, a relationship that involves, the courtroom, squad room and the bedroom." She told him seriously.

"And your den, and kitchen and the park with you and Noah on the weekends. Liv, I want the whole thing not just your bedroom. I know it won't be easy but I promise to fight as hard for us as I do everything else, if you so the same I like our chances.

"I do too." She said before kissing him again. Three months later he was moving in to her apartment and six months after that he was sliding an engagement ring on her finger.

Present Day Barba's Birthday

"Yes, tell the judge that I will be right there." Barba snapped at the clerk who had the unfortunate duty of calling him late on his birthday and say the judge needed him in her chambers immediately. He quickly called Liv and got her voicemail, "I'm sorry Honey, Judge Murphy needs to see me in her chambers. I might be late for dinner."

Barba straightened his tie and suit jacket before knocking on the chamber doors. "Come in" came Judge Murphy's voice through the door.

"Your Honor I'm not sure what's wrong but I have a dinner…" Barba stopped talking when he looked and saw the courtroom full of people. His Mother, the entire squad, including Munch and Cragen, Carmen, and Noah, at first he thought Liv had planned a surprise birthday party for him the Finn shifted slightly he spotted Olivia and his heart stopped. She was standing in front of him in a floor length strapless white dress holding a bouquet of red roses.

"Hi My Love, happy birthday." She said with a nervous smile.

"Liv, what's going on?" He asked unable to take his eyes off of her taking in just how beautiful she looked.

"You said I couldn't top last year, you said you wanted our family together, you said no birthday party, but you didn't say we couldn't have a wedding." She explained nervously. "So what do you say Counselor, you want to get married?"

Barba broke out in a smile, "Yeah, I want to get married."

Standing with Their friends behind them, Noah next to them and facing Judge Murphy Olivia and Rafael promised to love each other, support each other and fight for each other for the rest of their lives. As part of the ceremony Rafael officially was named on Noah's adoption papers with Olivia.

"It is my very great honor to pronounce you husband and wife, and a family. You may kiss your bride Counselor." Judge Murphy said.

Barba saw the tears forming in Olivia's eyes and felt the ones in his. "I love you Liv" he whispered before kissing her to the cheers of the room.

An hour later they were sitting on the couch of their apartment that was packed full of their friends and family, Chinese food, wine and this time a wedding cake. Much was making a toast to them when Barba leaned over to her and whispered to her.

'Was this all right for you, a courtroom wedding, and Chinese food in our apartment?" He asked her.

"It's perfect My Love, we made it a year and now we have forever." She said as she kissed him.

They were interrupted by Lucia, "You haven't eaten your cake."

They both picked up their plates to take a bite, "Look at the camera." Amanda said snapping a picture of them.

"So Barba, what is she going to give you for your birthday next year?" Finn asked him with a wink.

"Maybe we could have a puppy or a brother! " Noah yelled causing the entire room to laugh out loud as Amanda took one more picture of Barba and Olivia laughing as they started their life together.

The End


	8. Chapter 8 The Hug

Behind The Scenes

Chapter Eight

This is based on the video from the SVU400 celebration with the fantastic hug between Mariska and Raul.

Oliva nervously paced the squad room, she hadn't been able to make it back to the court house for the verdict. She hated not to be there for the victims, it had been such a hard trial each of them having to relive their experiences as they testified. Rollins and Carisi were both there and of course Barba, but she had been stuck in a meeting and could not be there. Then to make it worse Noah had dropped her phone in the tub last night and she was waiting for her new one to arrive. She had no clue what was happening right now.

She was just about to leave for the courthouse when the three of them came through the door. She could tell by the looks on their faces that it was good news.

"Well?" She asked impatiently.

"Guilty on all counts." Carisi announced.

"Davis is going away for the rest of his life." Rollins added.

"Awesome job everyone." She said exchanging high fives with her team members before looking back at Barba.

For anyone else his expression would be hard to read but she knew it perfectly, it was a mix of exhaustion, relief, and apprehension. She knew he hadn't slept more than a couple of hours all week, he was determined to see Davis get the maximum and he had worked all of them hard to make sure there were no mistakes. Even though he did not show it easily Oliva knew it bothered him when there was tension between himself and the team.

She crossed the room to him, "Congratulations counselor."

She offered him the same high five as the rest of the team but quickly found them in a tight embrace. She was unsure who had initiated it but they both held on to each other the stress from the case falling away. She felt his hands rub along her back and suddenly she wished they were anywhere but her squad room. She reluctantly let go offering him a suggestive smile as she passed him stopping suddenly when she realized he was still holding her hand.

"I love you." He mouthed so that nobody could see or hear.

Olivia's smile grew, she cast a quick glance over at her team who were caught up in a conversation and not paying attention to them, "See you at home tonight." She whispered before walking back to her office.


	9. Chapter 9 The Camera Doesn't Lie

Behind The Scenes

Chapter Nine

The Camera Doesn't Lie

 _This story is based on screen shots from The Today Show Facebook Live they did before the 400_ _th_ _episode aired. It was supposed to be a short little drabble but it had a mind of its own. I hope you enjoy it. As always feedback is much appreciated._

Olivia made her way quickly through the squad room as she greeted her team members who were gathered around catching up from their weekend off and pouring coffee.

"Heads up Liv, Dodds is in your office." Finn cautioned her.

Oliva felt her stomach sink a little, Dodds never stopped by without a reason, and usually that reason meant more work for her. She took a deep breath bracing herself for what might be coming as she continued her walk into her office where she could now see Chief Dodds waiting for her.

"Good Morning Chief, how can I help you this morning?" She asked hoping to sound relaxed.

"Morning, Lieutenant, you know that the Mayor has a big push going on right now to get more people who serve the city in the public eye, right?" He asked her.

"Yes." Olivia answered warily a not knowing where this was going, she was not a fan of being in the spotlight.

"Great, because it's your turn. You have been booked on a segment of Good Morning New York tomorrow morning."  
"They want to talk about sex crimes on a morning talk show?" Olivia asked.

"Well, this is more of a feature spot about you, of course talk about why SVU is important to the city but keep it light, not to heavy." He instructed her.

Olivia couldn't help but roll her eyes at the suggestion, "Isn't there a department that is better suited for this than SVU?"

Chief Dodds shook his head, "You and Barba are both very visible in the public eye…" He began explaining.

"What does Barba have to do with this?" Olivia asked confusion and frustration growing. 

"The Mayor wants you on together, talking about what makes the two of you such an effective team." Dodds continued. As if on que Olivia felt her phone buzz with an incoming text.

 _Call me NOW!_

She was pretty sure she could actually hear him yelling from his office and she rubbed her temples knowing that the next twenty four hours had just become infinitely more complicated.

"Are you sure about this Chief?" Olivia asked in vain.

"It's not up to me, The Mayor, One PP, and McCoy they all agree on it." He told her patting her on the shoulder finishing with, "You two will be great, I can't wait to see it" as he left her office.

Olivia looked down at her phone, took a deep breath, decided this was not something they were going to sort out over the phone, grabbed her purse and responded to him.

 _On my way, will bring coffee_

Twenty minutes later she was in his office and the way he was pacing back and forth had her second guessing herself for bringing the coffee.

"Al right I have started a list of questions," He greeted her quickly taking one cup of coffee from her a taking a large drink from it.

"Well good morning to you too Barba, how was your weekend? Mine was good Noah and I went to the library and the park, thanks for asking." She teased.

"Liv, we don't have time for this, we have work to do." He told her clearly not appreciating her attempt to lighten the mood.

Olivia reached out and took the pad of paper from him and glanced over it, "Barba you do realize that we aren't going to be the ones asking the questions right?"

He shot her another look, "Yes, but we could still be prepared, Carmen is getting us video from other episodes so that we can study their integration style." 

Olivia could not help but laugh now, "Barba it's an interview not an interrogation, you need to relax, the idea is to seem approachable, which is not a vibe I am getting from you at the moment. "

Barba looked at her with a mix of frustration and disbelief, "Liv, I don't think you are taking this very seriously."

Olivia started to say something just as Carmen came in with a stack of DVDs, "Here are the last three months of segments like the one tomorrow." She said.

"Thank you Carmen, would you mind clearing his schedule for the rest of the day? " Olivia asked taking the videos from her.

Carmen nodded and smiled as she turned to walk out the office, grateful that Lieutenant Benson was there to talk him down off the ledge. When Olivia heard the door close she turned her attention back to the high strung District Attorney in front of her.

"Sit" she ordered pointing to the couch. Barba raised an eyebrow at her but did not argue walking over to the couch, sitting down and crossing his arms over his chest with a slight huff. Olivia sighed, it was like getting Noah to take a bath at night.

"Barba, the Mayor and our bosses want us on this show to let the people of New York a little more about what we do and put a little bit of a friendly face to things. I think we can manage that." She told him sitting down next to him on the couch placing a hand on his arm smiling when she felt him relax a little.

"You're good at the friendly face thing Liv, me not so much." He admitted

Olivia smiled as she rubbed he thumb along his arm, "Along with being persuasive I have seen you be charming when you need to be."

"Are you flirting with me in order to make me feel better?" He asked her with a laugh.

Olivia laughed, "I'm trained to know what works to get someone too corporate. Come one on now let's watch some of these clips and see what we are in for."

They watched several hours of the show trying to get a feel for what the next day might bring. They managed a few laughs here and there and decided that it didn't seem like it would be too bad. Then Olivia brought up the subject of what Barba would wear.

"So, did you notice that none of the men had suits or ties on?" She asked hesitantly stifling a laugh when Barba looked at her in complete horror.

"I am a lawyer Liv, I wear a suit and tie." He protested

"Not tomorrow morning you don't, tomorrow is casual." She told him patting him on the shoulder.

"Fine." He said with a slight pout once again reminding her of Noah.

"If you're very good I will take you to the special tie store when we are done and pick out a brand new one." She teased earning her another eye roll.

"Are you going to be this way on television tomorrow?" He questioned her.

She smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "I guess it depends." She told him as she got ready to leave turning around when she felt him grab her hand.

"Careful Lieutenant, two can play this game." He told her with a look that both unnerved and excited her.

"Well Counselor, I guess I will see you there in the morning." She said turning to leave, once again being stopped by him tugging on her hand.

"Thanks Liv, for talking me down. If I have to go on this show I am glad that I am going on with you." He said rubbing soft circles on the back of her hand.

Olivia felt herself begin to blush, "Me too." She agreed giving his hand a soft squeeze before finally leaving his office.

They met outside the studio the next morning, Liv smiled when she saw Barba dressed in a pair of gray slacks and a dark blue button down shirt that was fit tighter than his normal dress shirts. She couldn't stop herself from taking a second to admire him out of his usual suit and tie. Before she had a chance to say anything Barba spoke up.

"You look, great Liv." He told her. She had selected a pair of black pants and a silk blouse with purple and black swirled together.

"Thanks, I was about to tell you the same thing, just one thing..." She said reaching out and unbuttoning his top button and then moving on to roll up the sleeves of his shirt slightly. "Perfect." She smiled running her hand back down his arm until their hands met and she allowed them to join for a second. Barba smiled warmly at her as they stood there for a second, looking at each other.

"Will I pass?" He asked her with a grin.

"You more than pass. Now let's get through this and we can go find you a new tie." She told him placing her free hand where his tie would normally be.

Barba placed is free hand over hers, "Why don't you let me take you and Noah to dinner tonight instead?" he offered.

Olivia smiled and said, "Only if you keep the tie off," before turning to walk into the studio.

They were quickly ushered into hair and makeup where they were made "camera ready" as the women prepping them called it. Then they met April Hunter the very peppy host of "Good Morning New York".

"It's so great to meet both of you, what we are looking for here is human interest story, we want to know about how you serve the city but also about the two of you and your working relationship, as well as your lives outside of work." She looked them over carefully. "You both look great. Rafael nice job on your outfit. Did your girlfriend help?" She asked. Olivia could not help but role her eyes at the obviousness of her question.

"No, I manage to dress myself, with a little advice from Lieutenant Benson." He told her.

April smiled a little smugly, "All righty then, I will see you two shortly." She told them sweetly.

They waited while April opened her show and did a cooking segment with an up and coming local chef before it was finally their turn. They listened nervously as they heard April introducing them.

"Our next guest have formed a partnership between the NYPD and the District Attorney's office to tackle crime and seek justice for victims, please welcome Lieutenant Olivia Benson and Assistant District Attorney Rafael Barba."

Barba placed his hand on the small of Olivia's back as they walked onto the set both of them doing their best to smile warmly and wave to the audience. Barba held a pulled a chair back for Olivia to sit in before settling onto the couch next to her, sitting close enough that their knees were practically touching.

"So the two of you have proven to be a very effective pair for the justice system in New York City, why don't you tell everyone about how you first met and began to work together."

Olivia smiled remembering that first meeting and Barba's cheesy line, she rested her chin on her hand and leaned against the arm of the chair.  
"You want to take that one, Counselor?" She asked.

Barba looked at her for a second, was she really hanging him out to dry on the very first question? He cleared his throat before beginning. "Well, I was new to Manhattan from Brooklyn and had heard that SVU was running off DA's." He started.

"That is not the case." Olivia protested holding her hand up to him.

"Sorry Lieutenant, you wanted me to answer this one." He reminded her with the same cocky grin he had given her the day that they met to which Olivia rolled her eyes and listened to him tell a slightly altered version of the story.

"Olivia you have been with Special Victims Unit for almost twenty years, do you ever think about doing something else?" April asked her.

"Yes, at some point in almost every case I think , this will be the last one I can't do it anymore, but then another victim come along and I know it is where I am needed." Olivia confessed.

"What about you Rafael, do you aspire to something else, a higher position in the District Attorney's office or perhaps a federal appointment?"

Barba shook his head, "I use to that's why I transferred to Manhattan, in order to be seen more, but its different now."

"What changed?" April pushed.

Barba paused for a minute and looked at Olivia, "Everything, everything in my life has changed because of working with Olivia. She makes me a better, more empathetic, person. It's not about my career anymore, it's about making a difference."

Olivia rested her hand on his knee facing him she added, "It goes both ways, he pushes me harder than anyone I have ever worked with. We are able to bring justice because he never quits. I am better at what I do because of him."

April smiled at them both, "Well I think we know now why you make such a great team, what about outside the job? What is life like outside of the job, Olivia you have a son correct?"

They turned back to April Olivia's arm still resting on Barba's leg their hands next to each other, "Yes, I have a four year old, he is the light of my world."

"She's the best mom you have ever seen." Barba added proudly.

"What about you, Rafael, anyone special outside of work?" April questioned.

Barba shook his head, "Every now and then she lets me tag along to the park, that's about it."

April's smiled again, "So, you spend time together outside of work?"

The both nodded, "When you do what we do, you cannot help but bond, you become more that co-workers or partners, our lives become intertwined." Olivia explained.

"Well, thank you both so much, I think the city knows a lot more about you now." April said with her same sweet tone as the show went to commercial.

BarsonBarsonBarson

Several hours later they were at the Italian restaurant around the corner from Olivia's apartment. Olivia and Noah ate there at least once a week and Barba joining them was not out of the ordinary.

"The usual?" The Angela the waitress asked them after they had settled at a table and Noah was happily coloring.

"We have a usual?" Olivia asked

"Sure, if it's the three of you it's a bottle of Cabernet, extra bread sticks for Noah and , a large salad that you both try to convince Noah to try, but he only eats the noodles with butter, then you two split the chicken parmigiana." She explained.

Olivia and Barba stared at her for a minute, "Yes, then I guess we will have the usual." Barba told her.

They caught up on the rest of their day and listened to Noah talk about his day at preschool while they waited for their food. As Angela predicted when the salad came they both tried to get Noah to try a bite.

Olivia watched with curiosity as Barba whispered something in Noah's ear. She saw Noah's eyes light up as he eagerly put a fork full of salad in his mouth, followed by another.

"What did you tell him?" Olivia asked.

"That if he ate some salad we could get ice cream afterwards." Barba said obviously proud of himself.

Olivia shook her head and laughed, "I'm not sure that's really helping."

"He's eating the salad isn't he?" Barba said smugly.

They continued their dinner but Olivia could not shake the feeling that they were being watched. She tried to tell herself that her detective senses were just in overdrive, but she still felt it. They were almost done and Noah was eating his ice cream when an older woman stopped by their table.

"I've seen you all in here several times and I saw the two of you on TV this morning and I just have to say you are just too adorable. I wish you the best." She told them before squeezing Olivia's hand. Barba and Olivia stared at each other awkwardly for the second time that night, just as Noah announced he was ready to leave.

"I should probably get him home." Olivia said

"Barba walk us home." Noah insisted as was part of their regular routine.

"Of course, Amigo." Barba agreed leaving enough money on the table and scooping Noah up as they walked out of the restaurant.

They were surprised to find the temperature has dropped while they were eating dinner.

"Do you want to take a cab?" Barba offered looking at Olivia who was still dressed in her blouse and open toed shoes from earlier in the day.

"No, we are just a couple of blocks, it will be all right." She told him as she zipped up Noah's jacket.

"Here take this." He said as he draped his jacket around her shoulders.

"Up high, Barba!" Noah insisted and before Olivia could protest the jacket Barba had Noah on his shoulders and was walking along. She quickly caught up with them and they walked in comfortable silence back to her apartment, stopping at the front steps. Barba lowered Noah and set him down next to Olivia.

"Thank you for dinner." She told him.

"Thank you for getting us both through this morning." He pointed out.

An unusually awkward silence hung between them until Noah spoke up.

"I tired Mommy." He said pulling on her shirt sleeve.

"I should get him to bed." She said with a smile.

"I should go home and get some work done. I'll talk to you later Liv. Good night Noah." Barba added holding out his hand for a high five. He turned and started to walk away when he heard her call his name.

"Barba your coat." She said walking back down the steps and handing it to him before placing a quick kiss on his check.

BarsonBarsonBarsonBarson

The next morning Olivia was busy getting herself ready for work and Noah ready for preschool when her phone began to buzz, she felt a smile cross her face when she saw that it was Barba.

"What's up do we have another show today?" She asked as she answered the phone.

"No, Liv, but I think we might have a problem." Barba told her sounding unusually nervous. "Go to the website New York Lives."

"Barba, I'm trying to get Noah ready for school, just tell me what's going on." She said impatiently.

"We are the cover story." He explained.

"What?" Olivia asked flipping open her laptop and frantically finding the website. When it loaded she was greeted with the headline "New York's Newest Power Couple". It was filled with screen shots of the two of them from the previous morning's interview. Even Olivia could not argue with how the pictures looked, her arm across Barba's leg, the banter caught between them, "Those are taken completely out of context." She protested.

"Keep reading" Barba said dryly waiting for her to catch up, listening as she muttered through the words. They quoted the waitress saying what great customers they were and how happy they always seemed together. There was a picture of the three of them outside the restaurant Barba had Noah on his shoulders and Liv walking next to them with his coat wrapped around her. She had just finished reading the article when he phone beeped and Chief Dodds name flashed on her screen.

"Damn it, it's Dodds. I've got to go Barba. I will call you later." She said quickly.

"What are you going to say Liv?" He asked her.

"I have no idea Barba." She said as she hung up.

BarsonBarsonBarsonBarsonBarson

Olivia snuck out of Noah's bedroom when she heard the knocking on her door, she knew it was Barba they had not talked since this morning. She took a deep breath as she opened the door to find him dressed casually once again.

"No suit and tie, McCoy didn't fire you did he?" She asked only half kidding.

Barba laughed, "No he needs me to badly." He said walking past her into the apartment. She poured them each a drink and they sat down on her couch. "You want to go first?" He asked.

Olivia took a sip of her drink, "Well I am not sure that anyone actually believes me that we aren't a couple, but I did my best. Dodds just kept saying, 'There is nothing wrong if you two are involved you should just have disclosed it.' What about you, what did you say to McCoy?"

It was Barba's turn to take a drink before he spoke, "I told him that I was in love with you, that I really hoped this whole thing doesn't scare you off and that I don't believe it will affect how we so our job since I have been in love with you for a long time."

Olivia stared at him for a second, "Barba, what did you really tell him?" She asked nervously.

"That is exactly what I told him. I made sure he knew that we weren't hiding anything, but that I am in love with you and I hope to have a future with you and Noah." He explained as he laid the pictures from the website on her coffee table, "Liv look at these pictures off us and tell me that you don't see two people in love. The camera doesn't lie Liv it just shows us what other people see, when I look at you I see love. What do you see Liv?" He asked looking into her eyes hoping to find his answer.

She pressed her lips together and closed her eyes for a minute before turning back to the pictures. She slowly picked up the one of the three of them outside the restaurant and held it up to Barba, "I see everything I have ever wanted, I see what I never thought I could have."

Barba cupped her face with his hands, "You can have it Olivia. We can have that future together." He brushed his lips over hers softly and slowly until she pressed her lips firmly against his running her fingers through his hair.

"I think I am going to have to talk to Dodds again tomorrow." She whispered breathlessly when they finally parted.

"What are you going to tell him?" Barba asked her as her pulled her back against him on the couch.

Olivia moved in closer wrapping his arms around her, "I am going to tell him that, I am in love with you that I hope I don't scare you off, and that I don't believe it will affect how we do our jobs because I have also been in love with you for a long time."

The End


	10. Looking for Something More

Looking for Something More

 _Based on the BTS pictures that let us know Cassidy is in the premier and Mariska using a stuffed shark as a stand in for the actor who plays Noah._

"I can't believe that you are really going to take a vacation." Olivia remarked running her finger along the top of her wine glass absentmindedly.

Barba gave a slight chuckle as he sipped from his scotch, "Well, I planned it six months ago, you've had time to get use to the idea."

"I know but I'm trying to imagine you not in a suit and tie for an entire week." She teased him.

"And what exactly is it that you are imagining me in?" He asked raising an eyebrow as he took another sip from his drink smiling as she blushed slightly.

"Right now I'm imagining how peaceful my week will be without having to squabble with you." A smug smile of satisfaction crossing her face as she sipped her own drink.

"Well, I better not stay too long or you might find a new squabbling partner." Was his counter.

Olivia shook her head a little, "No, I just got you the way I like."

Barba raised an eyebrow again but said nothing this conversation was about to head somewhere it probably shouldn't right now. He placed some money on the counter as they had both finished their drinks.

"Walk you home?" He asked as he helped her with her coat.

Olivia nodded and they walked the few blocks to her apartment talking about his plans for his visit to Cuba. Liv had to admit she was a little jealous of his trip. He promised to bring her back some rum, promising her it would be the best she had ever had.

"I'll have to bring something back for Noah too." He added casually, "Another stuffed animal for his collection."

Liv laughed, "Exactly what he needs.

They reached the bottom of her stairs and stood for a moment neither sure how to end their evening, both feeling a little awkward over their own feelings.

'Nightcap?" Liv asked him nodding towards her door.

Barba sighed, "I would love to but my flight leaves at six in the morning.'

She nodded in understanding trying to hide her disappointment, "Another time then, Have a great trip Rafael, you deserve it." She told him told him sincerely.

"Thanks Liv, try not to get into too much trouble while I'm gone." He told her trying to break the tension between them.

She rolled her eyes at him again. "Good night Rafael, I'll see you when you get back." She said walking up her steps stopping when she heard him say her name.

"Olivia," His use of Olivia instead of Liv was unusual and she felt a shiver run through her as she tuned back to him. "When I get back, can we go to dinner? Not a work dinner and not just a drink after work?"

Olivia smiled, "Like a date?"

Rafael should have known she would have made him work for it he closed the space between them taking her hand, "Like two people who are tired of looking for excuses to spend time together." He answered before placing a quick kiss on her cheek. He smiled as he watched her eyes light up, "I'll see you when I get back Olivia."

The next morning Olivia was stepping out of the elevator at work when she felt her phone buzz she pulled it from her pocket smiling when she saw his name.

 _Just got to my hotel, it's beautiful here._

 _Have a great time, wish I could see it._

 _Maybe next time._

Oliva smiled at his response, she had no idea what was going on between them but something had definitely shifted. She was about to respond when two figures in her office caught her attention the first was Chief Dodds the second was Brian Cassidy, she envied Barba even more now. She responded with a quick _maybe,_ before bracing herself for what might be waiting for her in her office.

The squad room was unusually silent as she advanced to her office, her team greeting her with silent eyes as they busied themselves with paperwork wondering what had brought the Chief and their Lieutenant's former lover current IAB detective to their squad room first thing in the morning. She nodded towards them before opening the door to the men already occupying her office.

"Chief Dodds, Brian, what brings you both to my office first thing in the morning." She asked dropping her bag on her chair and hanging her coat on the back of her door. She circled back to her desk sitting down and motioning for them to sit across from her, silently reminding them they were in her space.

"We've had an accusation Olivia." Chief Dodds informed her while Brian shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

Olivia leaned back in her chair doing her best to appear unconcerned, "Against me?"

Brian shook his head quickly, "No, not you nobody in your team." He assured her.

"Then why are you here?" She asked.

"We need you to work with Detective Cassidy.' Chief Dodd told her nonchalantly.

"Work with him how?" She questioned.

"The tip we have is on sex trafficking ring involving people tied to the NYPD." Brian answered.

"So why me?" She pushed

"The ring involves couples who both work for NYPD in some capacity. We need you and Detective Cassidy to pretend that you have reconciled and expose the group." Dodds explained.

"No." Liv responded adamantly.

"Liv, I wouldn't ask if I had anyone else I could trust, I promise. I really need you." Brian pleaded, "Liv, there are dirty cops doing bad things, don't you want to stop them? There's nobody else who be knows me the way you do and could make this believable."

Liv sighed she knew he was right, "Fine but we are bringing my team in on it too." She insisted.

"Fair enough." Dodds agreed.

The three of them filed into the squad room and gathered the team explaining the case and what everyone needed to do. Amanda and Carisi would run the technical side of the operation while Fin would reconnect with some of his contacts in vice. Brian and Liv worked on their cover and in a few hours everyone was ready.

Liv had to admit she was impressed with the work that Brian had already done. The evidence he had was solid and he had already established a believable cover. It did not take Liv long to be accepted in and in less than a week they had the evidence that they needed. Brian and Liv worked the on the officers and their partners until one set agreed to turn on the rest of the group.

"We make a pretty good team." Brian said sitting in her office after they closed the case.

"In here." She laughed.

"Other places too I remember." Brian added.

"And a lot of places that we didn't." She reminded him firmly letting him know that door was closed.

"Fair enough." He agreed, "Still, it was good to see you Liv."

"You too Brian," She said glancing down at her desk the note on the calendar reminding her Barba came home the next day caught her eye and she smiled.

"Wow, I haven't seen that smile in a long time." Brian commented, "Anyone I know?"

Liv waived her hand, "It's nothing, at least not right now." She told him then the date clicked in her mind. "Brian it's your birthday." She exclaimed

He smiled, "That it is."

"What are you doing?" She asked.

He shrugged, "Hopefully taking a nap after this, maybe catch a Mets game."

Olivia crossed her office and yelled into the squad room, "It's Brian's birthday, cupcakes at my place tonight at seven." She announced leaving no room for argument.

Hours later they were all gathered in her apartment laughing and sharing stories. It had been too long since Liv had everyone over. Noah was greatly enjoying everyone's attention and suddenly remembered the cupcakes his Mommy had brought home.

'Cupcakes Mommy!" He reminded her.

"Yes cupcakes." Brian agreed.

"I guess it is almost cupcake time." She said walking towards the kitchen Amanda following to help leaning the men laughing with Noah in the living room. She heard her bell ring as she walked away.

"Are you expecting someone else?" Fin asked,

"It's probably Chief Dodds, I invited him to come too." She explained as she went to get the cupcakes from the kitchen. "It's open come in." She yelled.

She didn't give another thought to the door as she walked back into the living room with a box of cupcakes already lit to sing happy birthday. She was shocked to see Barba standing there freshly tanned holding a bottle of rum and a large shark stuffed animal.

Before she had a chance to say anything Fin reached in and grabbed one of the cupcakes and held it in the air, "To the happy couple Liv and Brian together again!" He joked.

Amanda and Carisi played along grabbing cupcakes, "To the NYPD's newest power couple." Carisi added.

"Here, here." Amanda concurred.

"Barba." Was all liv could say as she watched the confusion spread across his face.

"I see I interrupted, I just wanted to drop these off." He stammered.

"Hold on let me go set these down." She said almost running to the kitchen to rid herself of the box and get back to Barba, trying to figure out how to explain things without arousing suspicion from everyone else. It didn't matter though when she returned Barba was gone, the bottle of rum was sitting on the table and Noah was happily hugging his shark.

Everyone left shortly after, leaving just Liv and Brian as Noah ran around the apartment.

"So Barba was the smile earlier.' Brian commented.

"What? No." Liv protested.

"Liv, stop I know you to well, and a man doesn't show up at your apartment straight from his vacation with a present for your child if there isn't something there. Besides, he's had feelings for you for a long time." Brian explained.

Olivia stared at him in disbelief, "What do you mean?"

Brian laughed, "Trust me a guy can always tell when another guy has a thing for his girl."

Liv rolled her eyes, "Good night Brian."

"Good night Liv.' He said closing her door.

Once he was gone and Noah was in bed she went straight to her phone to call Barba but he did not answer. Then she sent him a text, _Call me,_ but received no answer. She finally arrange for Lucy to come in early the next morning realizing she was going to have to deal with this in person.

So at seven the next morning she was standing outside of Barba's apartment coffee and bagels in hand ringing his bell. She had already texted Carmen making sure he was not already in the office so she waited for him to open the door, growing impatient the longer she waited, she was about to leave when the door flung open. There stood Barba in sweatpants, no shirt and obviously still wet from a shower.

"You were in the shower." Olivia muttered outloud.

'Brilliant detective work, Lieutenant, did you need something?" He responded coldly.

She walked past him into his apartment, "To explain what you walked in on last night."

Barba held his hands up, "Nothing to explain Liv, you are Brian are back together, congratulations, I guess he decided to forgo his Peter Pan complex?"

Now Liv was past annoyed and moving to angry, "Excuse me?"

"You know, 'Let's have fun Liv. Why do we have to think about the future Liv?' The lines you got tired of before. I thought you were looking for something more. "

"Who the hell do you think you are? First, Brian and I aren't back together we had to pose as a couple for a case and my team thought they were being funny, that was what you saw last night. Second, if I am looking for something more I do not think it's standing in this apartment at the moment." She set the coffee and bagel on his table fighting back tears, "Welcome home counselor." She seethed as she turned to leave.

Barba watched her as her words sank in, "Liv stop." He whispered but she continued towards the door, "Olivia, I am sorry." He said quickly.

She stopped, she knew he wasn't' one to apologize quickly, she turned to him the tears now spilling over her eyes. He crossed the room to her and took her hands.

"I missed you so much while I was gone, everywhere I went all I could think was that I wished you were with me, when I couldn't take it anymore I caught an earlier flight and came straight to your place. When I heard what I did I thought I had missed my chance with you again." He explained.

"You could have answered your phone last night." She pointed out.

"I should have, again I am sorry, and please Olivia give me the chance to be the something more that you've been looking for." He begged her.

She looked into his eyes, neither of them could hide what was in their eyes from the other. She saw the fear of losing her, the pain he felt, and most of all the love she knew was there. She placed a hand on the side of his face.

"Rafael, you are exactly what I have been looking for." She whispered before kissing him as she felt his arms wrap around her.

The End


	11. All That Matters

All That Matters

Angrily Barba snapped his brief case closed, shot Buchanan a glare across the aisle and marched from the courtroom. As usual Buchanan was playing dirty and the judge had bought his argument that the key piece of evidence was obtained in bad faith. They had twenty four hours to save this case.

When he reached the hall he whipped out his phone and pushed Liv's number.

"Where are you?" He snapped when she answered annoyed at the noise in the background.

"Hi Dear," She said sarcastically letting her husband know she did not appreciate his tone, "I'm picking our son up from school. Did you need something?"

'Yes, I need you to drop Noah with Lucy, ask her if she can stay late, and get back to work, the judge is about to dismiss the case." He barked out at her.

Liv helped Noah get his bag on and took his hand before answering Barba, "Sorry, but Lucy's classes started today remember? She can't get Noah after school Tuesday or Thursday." She reminded him.

Barba rubbed his forehead in frustration, "OK, I'll call my mom and see if she can take him as soon as she's done with school."

"Your mom left yesterday for the charter school meetings in DC. Were you even listening when we had brunch Sunday?" She asked.

"Well what are we going to do? I need you to find some other evidence or a witness or something." He pleaded with her.

"That's fine, I'm two blocks from the courthouse, I'll bring Noah to you and go back to work." She explained.

Barba sighed, it wasn't that he resented caring for Noah, he had taken personal days when Noah was sick and worked his schedule around school field trips on more than one occasion, but today was not the day for it.

"Liv…" he started but his wife cut him off sharply.

"Listen, we made an agreement, Noah doesn't go to the squad room unless it's for a quick visit and we wanted to encourage Lucy to go back to school, it's going to be inconvenient for both of us at times, and today that's you." She said hanging up before he could get another word in.

Shaking his head and grumbling to himself Barba trudged to the steps of the courthouse to wait for Liv and Noah. He wondered how long Noah would be interested in the iPad in his office. He thought briefly about having Carmen take him for the afternoon but knew that was pushing it. Maybe he should just go work from home, but he knew that never was as easy as it sounded.

It was unusually quiet for midafternoon in Manhattan as he looked up the street in the direction of Noah's school. He spotted them coming up the street but they did not notice him. They were engaged in an animated conversation. Barba smiled taking in the sight of them, he had left before either of them were up that morning. Liv was wearing her standard black pants and jacket but she had on that new blue top she had bought a few weeks ago, she was smiling as she talked with their son. It was three in the afternoon, she was running from one thing to the next but in that moment she cared for nothing but whatever Noah was telling her. She was absolutely radiant.

His gaze shifted to Noah, his buttoned down shirt was untucked and Barba had no doubt remains of his lunch were on the front of it somewhere. His Star Wars backpack was on his back. He always insisted on carrying his own bag just like Papi carried his briefcase. He hadn't stopped talking the entire time Barba had been watching them, they reached the crosswalk and he watched as Noah's face lit up and he pointed. 'Papi" he exclaimed spotting Barba on the steps.

Suddenly the case, Buchanan's dirty tricks, the work he had to do still all slipped away, all that mattered was that boy. The one in the untucked, food stained shirt, who talked nonstop, the one who called him Papi and thought that he hung the moon. That boy who was pulling his Mommy's hand as they crossed the street. That boy and the woman who somehow managed to hold their lives together while still running the toughest department in the city, they were all that mattered.

Barba all but skipped down the stairs and met them at the curb knelling down to welcome Noah into his arms, holding him tight as he stood back up with him.

"Papi, I read a whole book all by myself today!" Noah announced proudly.

"A whole book, hijo. mui bien! That calls for ice cream!" He Barba told him equally proudly as he wrapped his free arm around his wife. "Right Mommy?"

Liv smiled and gave him a quick kiss, "You two enjoy, I need to get to work."

Barba kept his arm around her and shook his head, "Work can wait thirty minutes." He told her as he led them down the street for ice cream. The case would wait, and he had seen enough to know there would always be cases, but this moment was one they were never going to get back again.


	12. Trust in Us

Trust in Us

 _This begins immediately after the end of season 18._

"Reconsider that drink now?" He gently coaxed after several minutes of shocked silence when Chief Dodds had left her office.

She studied him from across her desk for the first time allowing herself to truly see the vulnerability and confusion in his eyes. The disarray of her feelings was overtaken by the one piercing truth, she just needed to be with him. She had run from that truth so many times on the hard and vulnerable days, using Noah as a shield to protect herself from what she felt. Tonight though it was too much to deny, the days recently had been too long and she was tired of fighting. It was clear that neither of them knew what the hell was going on between them but they both knew they need each other.

She nodded slowly, "Can we just go back to my place? I'm not up for a crowd."

"Me either, but I wasn't going to invite myself over." He confessed with that slight smile that he always used when he wanted her to relax. It of course worked even if for just a moment and she smiled back at him.

BarsonBarsonBarson

The first empty bottle of wine, some half eaten pasta Liv had thrown together, and their empty glasses sat before them on the coffee table. There was an understood quiet to their evening, Noah was fast asleep and they had eaten in mostly comfortable silence, leaving space for the recent events around them.

"Should I get the second bottle?" Barba asked knowing that at some point they would need to actually talk and clear the air between them.

"Please." She responded as she laid her head back against the couch trying to collect her thoughts in order to start a conversation. The combination of exhaustion and wine over took her presence of mind and she simply asked the question that had been looming for days, "Why did you ask me to perjure myself?"

Barba reappeared in the living room the directness of her question not seeming to faze him, "Because I wanted those men to pay for what they did." He answered with equal frankness.

"And you were willing to sacrifice my integrity to make it happen?" She questioned.

"I don't see that way." He explained his voice now more cautious.

"You asked me to lie under oath, how can you not?" She pushed, her voice beginning to raise.

Barba refilled both of their glasses and sat back on the couch next to her, "We both know there are areas where I have to look away at times, I wanted you to know this was one of those times."

"That's a cop out and you know it." She said angrily. "You owe me more than that."

He nodded in agreement knowing she was right, "Because those men needed to go to jail, that mother needed to know there was some justice for what happened to her daughters and husband Liv, if the timeline got bent in the process I could live with that."

"No you couldn't." She challenged him, "I see it, and every time you make one of those choices I see how it takes something from you."

"Most of the time I make these choices so you don't have to, this time there was no way to leave you out of it." He confessed.

She starred at him wondering how many times he had left her out of those decisions. He was the closest thing she had to a partner anymore and sometimes it was easy for her to forget the differences in their jobs.

"I know what it cost both of us to make these choices Liv, I don't like it any more than you do and I do my damned best to protect you from it whenever I can, because I can see what it takes from you too." He continued.

"I've never asked you to protect me." She reminded him pointedly.

"You never had to" He offered in his defense.

"Are you protecting me or yourself?" She challenged.

"I'm protecting us. I am protecting you and myself individually but I am also protecting whatever this is between us." He asserted.

For the second time in a matter of minutes she found herself staring at him stunned by his words. She moved forward on the couch, turning face him, placing her hands on his forearms she asked him, "Is whatever we have between us so fragile that it can be destroyed by the truth?"

At that moment he was completely lost in her, all he could see was her brown eyes asking him to be honest with her. He moved his hands until his fingers wrapped around hers, "The truth is there will always be decisions that I have to make that will conflict with your moral compass, I don't like it but that is the truth, but I need you to understand every single time I do my best to make the right choice."

Olivia moved a hand to the side of his face, "I trust you Rafael, I might not always agree with you but I always trust you." She paused a moment before continuing, "And I would like to trust us, to trust this." She whispered before closing her eyes and finding his lips with hers.

It took his brain a split second to register what was going on that she was kissing him telling him she wanted to act on what was between them. When he didn't respond right away she pulled back and stood up.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that…" she began nervously gathering dishes and almost ran to the kitchen, she had just reached the sink when she felt his hands on her shoulders. She turned slowly unwilling to look him in the eye, he took the dishes from her and set them in the sink, then took her face in his hands. For all of his power with words he found himself almost speechless in that moment, all he could say as he stared into her brown eyes was, "I trust us." Before he kissed her in a way that left no doubt in her mind how he felt.

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They agreed keeping their change in relationship private for the time being was the best decision. They were professional enough that at work is was not an issue, their co-workers were used to their back and forth style that always bordered on something slightly more than professional so if they had noticed a change they were discreet enough to not say anything. They had spent enough time together outside of work that nobody questioned seeing them out to dinner or having drinks. They knew that eventually they would need to disclose their relationship but neither of them were in a hurry.

Spring turned into summer and they would discreetly sneak away to the coast with Noah for a day or explore areas of the city where they were less likely to be seen. Barba kept about half of his things at their apartment and was there as often as he could be. The first time they were outed was late one Friday afternoon in the early fall when Lucy was dropping Noah off with Liv at work and Barba was there. Barba had been busy with a trial and not been over to the apartment since the previous weekend and Noah was very happy to see him.

"Rafi! He yelled running across the squad room almost throwing himself at Barba, "I've missed you!" He explained.

Barba to his credit did not hesitate to hug Noah tightly, "I've missed you too." He told him while trying to avoid the confused expressions on the faces of Liv's squad.

"It's Friday, are you going to stay the whole weekend?" Noah asked just as Liv came out of her office and realized what had happened.

"Noah, I have a snack in my office for you." She covered quickly and the boy ran happily to find it. Her team members quickly busied themselves with preparing for the weekend.

"I should probably wrap things up at the office." Barba offered nervously and Liv nodded knowing they would talk about it later. She went back into her office where Noah was happily eating his snack and plying with the toys she kept in there. A few minutes went by when Fin knocked on her door, she sighed when she looked up are realized everyone else was gone. She wave for him to come in and sit down.

"How long?" He asked, never one to beat around the bush.

"A few months, since the Samra case." She admitted.

Fin nodded, "I would have thought longer."

"You're not going to tell me I am making a mistake?" she asked him.

"Do you love him? Does he make you happy? "He responded.

"Yes and yes." She did not hesitate to answer.

"Clearly Little Man is crazy about him and you would have to be blind to not know that he's cared about you for a long time." Fin told her, "just be careful Liv, don't let anyone use this against you guys." He told her before standing to leave and adding, "I'm happy for you Liv, you deserve this."

A few weeks later Liv was cooking dinner when she heard Barba's key turn in the door, Noah jumped up from the table where he was coloring, "Rafi's home!" he yelled. Liv smiled at his choice of words, Barba hadn't slept at his apartment since that day in the squad room. She heard them talking and smiled as they came in the kitchen Barba carrying Noah in one arm and his briefcase in the other.

"Hi" she greeted him with a kiss turning back to the dinner she was preparing.

Barba set Noah back at the place where he had been coloring set down his briefcase dropping his coat and tie over the back of a chair and moving to open a bottle of wine.

"Red or white?" He asked peering over to see what she was making.

"White, fish tonight." She answered

"I don't like fish, Mommy." Noah injected.

"You can try a three bites Noah." Barba gently admonished as he handed Liv a glass of wine and stealing another kiss.

"Hey, did you ever know someone named Ben Stone?" He asked her as he set out the plates on the table.

Liv shook her head, "I've heard the name but he was before my time, before Jack McCoy's time. Why?"

Barba shrugged grabbing a piece of tomato from the salad, "His son Peter just started with our office, he transferred from Chicago."

"What do you think of him?" She asked placing dinner on the table.

"I don't know, I'm not sure, something feels off, I'm not sure I trust him with SVU." He offered.

Liv rolled her eyes, "You don't trust anyone with SVU, especially now."

Barba shrugged, "True, but I still think something is off."

Barba's instincts were not wrong Peter Stone became an absolute nightmare to work with. It wasn't unusual for an ADA to come in thinking he or she knew more about sexual assault cases than she did but he was different. He went out of his way to shake things up as he put it and one afternoon he had no intention of being "as cozy with her as Barba was."

"Well that's good to know." Barba laughed that night as he was laying in their bed as she got ready for bed.

"I'm serious Raf he's a complete prick." She explained.

Barba smiled at her use of his expression, "Darling, you aren't telling me anything I don't already know." He reminded her as he pulled her down on to the bed next to him, "But right now, I don't want to talk about Peter Stone anymore. I would much rather get cozy with you."

Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him in for a long drawn out kiss, "Yes, please remind me how you made me stopping hating lawyers." She finally said when they pulled apart.

Barba smiled a wicked smile at her, "My pleasure." He said before moving his mouth down to her neck.

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The next week Noah came down with an ear infection and asthma flare up and liv needed to stay home from work with him. It had been a long night up with breathing treatments and Barba found them cuddled on the couch when he came out to leave for work the next morning.

"Hey, is he doing any better?" He asked when he realized Liv was awake.

She slowly scooted him on to the couch and walked towards the kitchen to find coffee. "A little maybe?" She shrugged.

"Did you get any sleep?"

"A couple of hours." She said drinking from the coffee he offered her.

"I will try and come home after court so you can get a nap." He offered.

"Thank you, what I really need to do is get to the squad room before Peter makes my entire team quit." She grumbled.

"Either way, I'll get home as soon as I can. I love you both." He told her with a quick kiss.

"Love you, finish this case quick so you can come back to me at work too." She whined a little before kissing him goodbye.

A couple of hours later Noah was feeling somewhat better and watching a movie while Liv was attempting to get some work done. Peter called her asking when she would be back at work. "When my son can go more than two hours without a breathing treatment, I suppose." She snapped back.

He went on to explain that he needed her to look over something for the current case. She gave him her address and told him have a messenger bring it over. An hour later her bell was ringing, she answered it shocked to see Peter Stone standing there.

"Peter, what are you doing here?" she asked trying not to panic wondering what evidence of Barba's presence might be laying around.

"I figured I should check in with you and we could go over the case a bit.' He explained pushing his way into her apartment. "Where do you want this?" He asked holding up the files.

"Well, I was working on the couch she pointed to the coffee table that was covered in paper work with a nebulizer and Noah's other medicines scattered among it.

"This is how you work?" He asked her.

"Well yes, when I'm home trying to care for my son yes." She explained her frustration growing.

'Mommy my head hurts. " Noah said coming into the room. "Who's he?"

Liv picked him up and quickly realized his fever was back up, "Oh My Love your fever is back up" She said kissing his forehead, "This is Mr. Stone, he was just dropping off some work." She explained.

"Mr. Stone that works with Rafi?" Noah asked.

"Yes. Love." She answered "He has to go now, we don't want to share our germs with him."

"Yes, I should go, sorry to bother you." He said suddenly realizing that he had seriously over stepped and that she wasn't going to be intimidated by his presence.

A wave of relief washed over her thinking she would get him out before he could figure out that Barba was living with her or worse yet, but just as she has that thought she heard the key in the door, she heard the door shut, and his voice come down the hall.

"Liv, hey, I came home as soon as I got out of court so you could…"He stopped speaking when he looked up to see Peter Stone standing in the living room.

"Rafi" Noah said stretching his arms out for Barba to take him.

Barba turned his attention to the boy as he took him in his arms, "Oh, amigo you are hot again." He said kissing his forehead, "Does he need medicine?" He asked Liv.

She nodded, "Yes, Tylenol please." She answered as Barba took off down the hall with Noah.

"I should go." Peter said trying to make sense of what he was seeing before him.

"I will call you when I look over these files." Liv said as he walked to the door and she sank down on the couch wondering what might happen next. Several minutes later Barba returned and sat next to her on the couch.

"He's asleep." He said sitting down next to her, "I guess we need to get a game plan."

"I need to get to the office Raf, I haven't been there in three days." She told him standing up and gathering files. "Are you all right with him?"

"Of course, but Liv we need to talk about this." He pleaded with her.

"Raf, I have a sick child and squad to run, I don't have time to worry about Peter Stone, I need a shower and go to work." She explained kissing him quickly.

The case they were working broke in the night and Liv was not able to make it home. Barba assured her that they were fine Noah's fever was down, his breathing was better and Lucy would be there before he had to be back in court the next morning. She sighed when she saw his text the next morning.

 _McCoy wants to see me as soon as I am done in court_

 _It's going to be all right_

 _I hope so_

 _I trust us_

 _Me too_

She knew him well enough though to know he was worried, he was worried enough for both of them. She glanced down at her watch the suspect was being booked and Fin could handle the first round of paperwork.

"I need to get to the courthouse, I'll be back later." She announced as she rushed out of the squad room, reaching the sidewalk she decided this time of day she could walk faster than a car could get her there she went as quickly as she could to the courthouse. When she got there she immediately spotted him upstairs and she could tell by watching him he was reviewing his opening argument.

"Raf!' She called out and he looked down stairs and smiled at her and he was waiting at the elevator for her when she got off.

"Did you finish everything up?" He asked her.

"Fin can handle it for now."

"Liv, this might not be the best time to give anyone a reason to question your work." Hs pointed out.

"It doesn't matter, don't you understand that? None of this matters. "She practically yelled at him in the empty rotunda of the courthouse.

"How can you say that? This is our life, this is who we are. If we don't have this what do we have?" He asked her having no better control of his emotions than she had of hers.

"We have us. We have Olivia and Rafael, we have Noah, this…" She said motioning to the empty space around them, "this is just our jobs, it's not more important than us."

"Are you saying you would give up SVU for us to be together?"

"Yes, I would quit the NYPD if I had to." She answered without a moment's hesitation. There was no qualifying her response. Simply put she was telling him she would set aside everything she had worked so hard for, so they could have a future. How did he even respond to that? How did a woman like her love him enough to make such a sacrifice?

He turned away from her in an effort to collect his thoughts and he felt her arms wrap around him and her head rest on his shoulder. It was approaching eight in the morning and the courthouse was beginning to fill but she did not budge, let them be seen she was done hiding. He slowly exhaled, reaching up and placing his hands over her arms letting her strength hold him as they faced this uncertain future together.

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There was not a bit of worry in his eyes as he took her hand, there matching platinum rings clinking slightly as they made their way to the dance floor for their first dance.

"Did you read the message inside your ring?" She asked him as he took her into his arms.

"Trust in us," he told her. "Were you worried I would forget?"

She simply shrugged, 'Just listen to the song on My Love."

I don't need you to sell me on reasons to want you

I don't need you to search for the proof that I should

You don't have to convince me

You don't have to be scared you're not enough

'Cause what we've got going is good

I don't need more reminders of all that's been broken

I don't need you to fix what I'd rather forget

Clear the slate and start over

Try to quiet the noises in your head

We can't compete with all that

So what if it's us?

What if it's us

And only us

And what came before won't count anymore or matter?

Can we try that?

What if it's you

And what if it's me

And what if that's all that we need it to be

And the rest of the world falls away?

What do you say?

A/N This story allowed me to tie together several different stories that have been running though my head. First was that picture of them in the courthouse (on my Tumble A Magical Shipper) that has driven me crazy for over a year. I actually wrote that scene first and then went back to the beginning. Second was this song from Dear Evan Hansen that every time I listen to it I hear Liv saying those words to Barba.I like the idea of her being the one who is more certain of them for a change. Then finally all these spoilers we've gotten about season 19 and the new DA joining the cast as a foil to Barba. As always thank you so much for reading and all of your comments.


	13. Chapter 13

Spelling Homework

 _Based on the picture of Raul with his birthday cakes from this year, as soon as I saw one said "Rapha" I knew he most have written it._

"Do you have any homework tonight Noah?" Olivia asked her second grade son as they made their way into the apartment after school and work.

"Just spelling." He groaned, he had overcome much of his early language delays but reading and spelling were still a struggle at times.

"Ok, well let me get dinner started and then I will help you." She told him as she placed the grocery bags on the counter.

"Or I can help with spelling while you cook dinner." A voice came from the hallway causing Liv to jump and Noah to run towards it.

"Rafa!" The boy yelled excitedly throwing himself at the man, "Mom, said you wouldn't be back until tomorrow."

"You just scared me to death. I might rethink letting you have a key." Liv chastised but the look on her face clearly gave away that she was glad to see her boyfriend.

Rafael shrugged, "The conference was pretty much over and I missed you guys. I guess I could go back though…"

"No!" Noah yelled

"Don't you dare." Liv laughed pulling him in for a kiss.

"Rafa can we build Legos?" Noah asked.

"Why don't we work on those spelling words first then we can build some Legos, Amigo." Rafael offered as a compromise.

"All right" The boy groaned. "I hate spelling."

"Spelling, is important Noah, you have to be able to spell to write all the motions and briefs you will write as District Attorney one day." He told him loud enough for liv to hear in the kitchen.

"Watch it there Counselor, or I might send you back to that conference. " Liv said with a laugh.

"Ok, let me see the spelling packet." He said having become familiar with the second grade homework.

"They are confusing words, look" Noah told him handing him the list.

Rafael scanned the list, "Photo, phase, phrase, dolphin, trophy, elephant, so what's confusing you Noah?"

"None of them have F in them but they all say F." He said in frustration.

"That's because ph also says F in some words." Rafael explained.

"Why can't all letters make the same sound all the time?" Noah asked.

"Because when we put things together it changes things into something new. Like when we put ingredients together to make cookies or a cake.''

Noah nodded, "Like when we put you in our family and it made it better." He said nonchalantly.

Rafael smiled at him, "It made me better too Amigo." He told him as he hugged him, "Now let's get to work so we have time for Legos."

Later that night Rafael was laying in the bed as Liv was getting ready for bed in the bathroom, "Did you hear what Noah said tonight, about me being part of your family?"

Liv came back into the bedroom her legs bare in her old NYPD t-shirt she crawled next to him on the bed, "Yeah, did it bother you?" She asked worry across her face,

Rafael rolled over holding himself above her, "Bother me? Other than you telling me that you love me it's the greatest thing I've ever heard. I don't want to pressure you Liv, but I want more than just a key. I want it all the homework, the school field trips, to wake up next to you every morning."

Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him down kissing him hard, "You can have whatever you want Rafael."

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A week later Liv was pulling two sheet cakes from the oven just as Lucy was arriving at the apartment, Noah was on fall break from school.

"Lucy, its Rafa's birthday and Mom and I made two cakes for him!" he told his nanny excitedly, "Mom has to go to work so we get to decorate them and then bring them to Mom's work for his surprise party." 

"Do you mind Lucy? I thought we would have more time this morning but I need to go." Liv explained apologetically.

"No problem, Liv we'll have fun with it right Noah?" She asked the boy who was nodding happily.

An hour later Lucy and Noah had out icing and decorating bags and had watched countless YouTube videos on how to decorate a cake.

"Ok, Lucy, you write Happy Birthday on that one and I'm going to write his name on this one." Noah instructed.

"Do you know how to spell it?" She asked him.

"Yep!" He exclaimed proudly.

They each worked on their cakes until Noah called Lucy over, "I'm finished Lucy come look! Do you think Rafa will like it?"

Lucy could not help but smile at the cake the boy had put so much work into, "He's going to love it Noah. Now let's hurry and get them to the party. "

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"I thought I said no party?" Rafael said dryly pulling Liv against himself in her office.

"Noah, wouldn't hear of it." She laughed.

"Sure, blame it on the kid." He teased his kiss interrupted as Noah came bounding into the office, "It's cake time and Mom, Lucy and I made them, come on!"

Both adults laughed as Rafael wrapped his arm around Liv as Noah pulled him by the other hand.

"Do you like them?" Noah asked nervously

Rafael looked at the first cake where Lucy had written "Happy Birthday" then over to Noah's cake and the biggest smile ever spread across his face when he saw that Noah had written "Rapha"

"With a PH right, Rafa?" Noah asked.

Rafael leaned down and hugged the boy tightly, "It's perfect Noah. The best cake I have ever had."

Everyone in the squad room sang "Happy Birthday" as Rafael kept his eyes locked with Liv's standing across the table from him. When the song ended he gave her a mischievous smile before bending over to blow out the candles. He stood back up after getting them all out at once his eyes locked on Liv again, he mouthed silently amongst the cheers, "Marry me."

Liv smiled at him, fighting back tears in her eyes, nodded and watched as he leaned down to Noah and said, "Next year you can write Papi on that cake."


	14. One Last Time

One Last Time

 _Based on the pictures of Raul and Mariska with Ryan (the actor who plays Noah) and the wonderful one that BarsonSVU put together._

"Are you ready?" Olivia announced her presence as she leaned softly against the door frame of his office.

Rafael let out a slight laugh, "I guess Carmen is never going to let me know if you are here before you barge in."

Olivia smiled as she crossed his office. Sitting on the edge of his desk she ran her fingers through his silver hair and before leaning down to kiss him, "My Love, if she has not at any point in the last twenty five years I do not believe that she is going to start now."

"Especially since I'm done." He said wistfully.

"Since you're retiring, not done, Darling." Olivia countered rolling her eyes at her husband's dramatics. "I have waited three years since I retired for you to do the same, now I want you to myself every day."

Rafael ran his hand suggestively up her leg underneath the skirt she was wearing, "That does make retirement sound more exciting." Over twenty years of marriage had done nothing to diminish their desire for each other.

She leaned in and kissed him again before moving from his desk and glancing around his nearly empty office. They had agreed when she retired he would not run for reelection again. It was time for the justice system of New York to function without them.

"Are they going to send your books to the house?" She asked glancing at the still full shelves.

"Yes, then I can go through them and see what I want to keep and what I want to donate." He explained.

Olivia nodded and picked up the last picture frame on his desk, "That one leaves when I do." He said softly wrapping his arms around his wife.

"God, were so young." She laughed, "We didn't think so then, but we were."

Rafael nodded, "He was a baby, he certainly didn't think so but he was."

Olivia smiled, "No, at six he definitely did not think he was a baby." She traced her finger slowly across the picture, the three of them their first picture as an official legal family. It taken in the judge's chambers when Rafael legally, adopted Noah, a week after their wedding. Noah stood between them smiling proudly, Rafael's arm wrapped tightly around them both.

"I had never been so nervous in front of a judge in my life." Rafael recalled.

Olivia laughed, "I remember, but you were cute nervous and she did not doubt that you loved him."

"It was one of the two best days of my life at that point." He whispered before pulling her in for a kiss losing themselves in in until a voice interrupted them from the door.

"Come on you two you've got the rest of your lives for that in the privacy of your home."

"Hijo, congratulations!" Rafael greeted his son, letting go of Oliva to hug him.

"The verdict came in and you didn't tell me!" Olivia admonished her husband.

"Guilty on all counts." Noah told her proudly have just finished his first trial as head counsel.

"Come have a drink with us at Forlini's to celebrate." Oliva suggested.

"I would love to Mom, but Jessie caught a case and I need to get home to Lucia." He explained, "We will celebrate it this weekend at Papa's party."

"Kiss my granddaughter for me and Jessie too." Olivia said as she kissed her son.

"I will Mom, see you two on Saturday, Papa try not to go stir crazy before then." Noah bid his parents goodbye leaving them alone in the District Attorney's office.

"So what do you say Counselor, can I buy you a drink at Forlini's ?" Olivia asked with a smile as she handed her husband the picture.

"Without a case to talk about? ' He asked with a laugh.

"This is when we begin to write our next chapter." She reminded him as they walked hand in hand from his office one last time.


	15. Chapter 15 Not Yet Finished

Behind the Scenes

Chapter Fifteen

Not Yet Finished

 _Based on the pictures of Raul with the little girl who plays Jessie and the one of him holding a newborn in his office. You can find them on my Tumblr A Magical Shipper._

Rafael rubbed his wife's shoulders where she sat at her desk looking over evidence hoping it would give her something new to go on. It was a horrific case of a young woman killed in her apartment. She had been staring at the same evidence for hours now and it was getting late. He stopped briefly dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

"Lucy needs to leave, so I should go home and let you work." He told her torn between the desire to stay and help and the need to get home.

Olivia placed one hand over his and used her free arm to pull his lips to her for a quick kiss, "Are you sure that you will be all right with both of them? I could bring this home or we could call your mother." She offered.

Rafael shook his head and motioned to the work in front of her, "This doesn't need to come to our home and my mother is away for the weekend. I'll be fine Love how hard can one more preschooler be?" he asked with a laugh.

"When we offered to keep Jessie for Amanda and Carisi on while they were on their honeymoon I didn't really think about the fact that I would also be down two detectives at the same time." She said with an apologetic smile.

Rafael kissed her one more time, "We'll be fine, you work on catching the son of a bitch that did this. I love you."

"Kiss them both for me." She told him as he gathered his things to leave and she turned her attention back to the evidence before her. "She had a new born you know, the victim did, a two week old little girl."

Rafael shook his head with mixture of anger and frustration thinking of his son waiting for him at home and his friends' daughter who he loved, "Get the bastard Liv, I can handle the two at home." Olivia nodded, turning her attention back to the evidence in front of her.

BarsonBarsonBarsonBarson

Olivia quietly closed the apartment door taking off her coat before securing her badge and gun in the safe.

"Hi" She heard Rafael whisper from the couch in the dimly lit living room, "We are in here."

"What's going on?" She asked but then stopped and smiled when she saw the three of them on the couch. Rafael was in the middle with Noah and Jessie asleep on either side of him both in their pajamas, Noah clutching Eddie the Elephant and Jessie her stuffed Bunny. She smiled at Rafael who looked more than a little tired. There were toys and sippy cups scattered about the living room and she had caught a glimpse of what she assumed was dinner still scattered about the kitchen. Rafael was usually borderline obsessive about Noah cleaning up his toys before bed and then tying up the rest of the apartment afterwards. 'Rough night?" She asked with grin.

He let out a slight groan," It was like they had a full game plan schemed out on how to play with every toy, eat all the food but none of it actually at dinner, and use every word they both know, oh and that does not even begin to touch their grand scheme of never going to bed. I finally got them both settled down watching Moana, it ended an hour ago but I've been afraid to move because it might wake one of them up."

Olivia bit her lip to suppress a laugh drawing a sharp look from her husband. "Are you going to stand there and laugh at me or help get these two into bed?" HE asked her dryly,

"But how hard could two preschoolers be?" She teased repeating his words from earlier which earned her another look that she erased with a lingering kiss. "But I have to say Counselor you are twice as attractive with two kids snuggling up with you."

Rafael laughed, "Don't get your hopes up, I'm twice as tired too."

Olivia shrugged, "Well let's get all of you to bed then." She carefully scooped up Jessie as Rafael stood and picked up Noah. She settled Jessie onto the mattress on Noah's floor and he settled Noah onto his bed. He stole a glance over at his wife who was tucking Jessie in and kissing her forehead just as she did with Noah every night. He took her by then hand and quietly pulled her along to their bedroom locking the door behind them.

Olivia raised an eyebrow at him, "I thought you were tired.'

He placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed her slowly, "Not anymore.' He said pushing her backwards onto their bed. She let out a soft hum as his lips trailed down her neck and fingers began to unbutton her blouse removing it quickly as she did his t-shirt.

"Pappi? Is Mommy home?" They both froze as they heard Noah call from the hallway and Rafael rolled off of her with a groan.

'You wait here, I'll get him back to bed." She ordered as she grabbed his t-shirt and threw it on.

"Yes, Ma'am" he answered with a smile.

"Hi Baby." He heard her say to Noah as she met him in the hallway, "I missed you tonight. " She told the boy as she carried him back to his bed.

'I missed you too Mommy." He told her sleepily, "Pappi said tomorrow we can go to the zoo with Jessie."

"Well then you better get some sleep. I love you." She whispered kissing his forehead and pulling the blankets around him, stopping to recover Jessie as well on her way out of the room.

"OK, I think everyone is asleep," She stopped midsentence at the sight of her husband passed out on the bed, "including you." She laughed then quickly slipped off her pants and crawled into the bed next to him smiling as his arms instinctively drew her in.

The next morning he woke first smiling at the sight of her in nothing but his t-shirt as he slowly ran his hand up her leg kissing her as she rolled over to face him. "Good morning, I guess I was tired last night."

"That's understandable." She said kissing him back just as she heard Jessie call for them.

"Uncle Rafa, Aunt Livy we're hungry." She said from the hallway.

"You start breakfast, I'm going to shower." She told him after one last kiss.

He moaned a little but climbed out of their bed, "All right but you better put that shirt back on tonight." He instructed as he headed out to make breakfast.

They had a perfect day at the zoo and then the park, the kids ran and played and only bickered a little. At one point they were sitting on a bench watching the kids on the playground when Rafael wrapped his arm around her and said, "You know, having another one wouldn't be so bad."

Olivia laughed out loud, "There's a big difference between a weekend and full time Rafa."

Rafael shrugged a little, '"I know, but sometimes I just think maybe our family isn't finished yet."

Olivia stared at him for a minute trying to decide if he was serious or not when the kids came running up to him.

"We want pizza!" They clamored in unison.

"Look now they can gang up on us." She laughed, "Come on let's go get some pizza."

She couldn't help but watch her husband differently for the rest of the day, much in the same way she watched him when he an Noah were first getting to know each other. He was so good with kids, you would never guess that if you only knew him professionally but he was so calm and patient with them while still being firm in his expectations. In truth the only thing Rafael was better at than arguing a case in court was fatherhood.

She watched him that evening as Jessie hit her breaking point of being away from her parents. It was bedtime and she refused to get her pajamas on, she stood in their hallway crying, stomping her feet, covering her face, and refusing to move.

"I want my Mommy and Daddy I want to go home now!" She yelled, "I don't like Noah anymore and I want my bed and my house. I want to sleep with my Mommy."

Rafael and Olivia exchanged worried glances neither unsure what to do. Then Olivia watched him cautiously approach the screaming girl crouching down to her height. "Jessie, your Mommy and Daddy will be home in the morning. So you just have to go to sleep tonight, and have breakfast tomorrow then they will be here."

"But I don't like Noah's room it's a boy's room! I want my room!" She yelled again.

"How about this, I will sleep in Noah's room with him and you can sleep in the big bed with Aunt Livy?" He suggested. The small girl uncovered her eyes, "Really? OK!" She told him tossing her arms around him in a tight hug. Olivia watched in amazement and felt something pull at her heart that she couldn't really explain.

The kids both slept peacefully through the night, Olivia and Rafael not as much with him sleeping on the mat in Noah's room and her with a three year old who moved constantly through the night. The next morning though Amanda and Carisi arrived just after breakfast looking rested from their honeymoon. They spent the rest of the day resting and preparing for the week ahead of them. The apartment felt strangely quiet though now with one less child in it.

Later that night after Noah was asleep they sat curled up on the couch exchanging kisses slowly making up for the last few busy days. Olivia pulled back and looked Rafael in the eyes, "Did you mean what you said yesterday?"

"About seeing you in my shirt? Yes, but really I'm not picky I'd be happy to see you in nothing." He answered kissing her again.

Liv laughed and placed a firm hand on his chest, "That not what I meant. Did you mean about our family not being finished?"

Rafael took a deep breath, reached for her hand and looked her in the eyes, "Yes, I was one hundred percent serious. We are really good at this parent thing Liv and we have a lot of love to give. I can't help but think their might be another child out there who could be a part of this. Do you ever think about it?" He asked her nervously.

"Before yesterday, honestly no." She told him. As she watched the disappointment on his face she leaned in and kissed him, "But now it's all I can think about. I think you're right Rafa, I don't think our family is finished yet. If you want I could call my old caseworker tomorrow and see what it would take to get back on the list."

"Yes, definitely!" he told her.

"We're really going to do this." She said with a nervous laugh,

"Well first we're really going to do this." He answered leaning her back onto the couch and kissing her until they were both unable to say anything else.

BARSONBARSONBARSON

They spent the next few weeks meeting with their social worker and getting the apartment approved for a placement. They reviewed all the foster care guidelines and knew that there was a chance whatever child came into their home might not be permanent. They agreed that they wanted what was best for any child that was placed in their care.

Three weeks after they made their decision Olivia received a phone call from their caseworker. She had a placement for them, she tried to call Rafael but knew that he was in court. She knew he would want her to go so grabbed her purse and rushed to meet the case worker at her office. When she walked into the office she was surprised to see her holding what appeared to be a new born. For some reason to they had never talked about a child so young,

"Is that all right? Are you comfortable with that?" The caseworker asked her, "The little girl has nobody she spent a week in the hospital after her mother was killed and has been in emergency care since then."

Olivia studied the small girl carefully and realization came upon her, "Her mother was killed in her apartment by a former client, she had left that life and was trying to turn her life around since she got pregnant. The father was actually an old boyfriend who was killed in a drug deal gone bad before she was born." Olivia filled in the information she remembered from the case.

"I see you're familiar with the case. Is Rafael prosecuting? That would be a conflict of interest." The Caseworker asked nervously.

Olivia shook her head, "No, he was off when this one happened, it will be fine."

'So is that a yes, then?" She asked Olivia.

"Yes, it's a yes," She said taking the baby in her arms and smiling at her, "Welcome little one."

The caseworker gave her the paperwork to fill out and reminded her of all the steps that had to happen before adoption before she left with the girl. Suddenly Olivia found herself in the middle of the afternoon with a newborn and no idea what to do next. She checked the time on her phone and texted her husband. _Meet me at your office after court. I have a surprise for you._

By the time they reached his office he was already back from court, he was at his desk coat and tie off pouring over some books and making notes.

"Court go ok?" She asked announcing her presences.

He didn't look up right away as he finished writing out his thought, "Yes, just jotting down something for my summation tomorrow. Now what's the surprise?" He asked shock registering on his face as he finally saw her standing in his office door holding what had to be the smallest baby he had ever seen.

"Liv?" He asked nervously, "Who is that?"

A smile spread across her face as he crossed the room to her. "This is Amelia and she's here to check out our family and see what she thinks." She told him a she laid the baby in his arms.

"Hi Amelia, I'm Rafael your Papi and I really hope you like us." He whispered to her swaying her softly in her arms. "We can take her home?" He asked Liv for further confirmation.

Olivia wrapped her arms around both of them. "Yes, we get to take her home."

"What do you say Mia you want to go meet your big brother?" He asked her and she left out a slight noise.

"Come on let's get the rest of our family home." He told Liv. His summation could wait he had a his family for tonight.


End file.
